webOS Open Source Edition 2.1 Released For Continuing The Palm/HP/LG Linux Distro

Released at the end of October to little fanfare was webOS Open Source Edition 2.0, the open-source Linux OS currently in development by LG for use on their Smart TVs and other digital products. With webOS Open Source Edition 2.0, they began setting their sights on automobiles and other potential use-cases. That was then extended by this week's release of webOS OSE 2.1.

WebOS Open Source Edition is the open-source spin of this Linux OS that has been controlled by LG Electronics now for the past number of years. This is the operating system formerly developed at Palm a decade ago already before being acquired by HP. The initial webOS Open-Source Edition came last year while this second installment arrived at the end of October.

With webOS Open-Source Edition 2.0 the features have been extended with an eye on the automotive industry with now employing Smack for better security, multiple display support, new UI/UX, improved Bluetooth/WiFi/SoftAP connectivity, and other changes. WebOS Open-Source Edition 2.0 also is using the Raspberry Pi 4 as the reference hardware platform.

In addition to improving their UI/UX and other higher-level components, webOS Open-Source Edition 2.0 has upgraded to Qt 5.12, Chromium 72, and other new components. More details on the new open-source webOS release at WebOSOSE.org.

With this week's release of webOS Open-Source Edition 2.1, the default logging system has switched to systemd's journald, there is now Japanese virtual keyboard support, and fixes from regressions in webOS OSE 2.0. More 2.1 details via the announcement.