Samsung Has No Plans to Buy the webOS

Samsung's CEO has flat-out denied a recent rumor that his company is planning to buy the webOS from HP, who recently stopped producing smartphones and tablets with this operating system.

CEO Choi Gee Sung, speaking at the IFA tradeshow going on now in Berlin, said his company would "never" purchase the webOS. "It's not right that acquiring an operating system is becoming a fashion," he said.

The rumor was fuel by speculation that Samsung was looking for other options than Google's Android OS. In recent months, Apple has brought a number of successful patent-infringement lawsuits against Samsung's Android-based devices, costing the company a great deal of money.

Whither the webOS
Choi's statement leaves the webOS up in the air. HP said it is still hoping to do something with this operating system, but at this point it's not clear what.  HP is looking for companies to license this OS for use on smartphones and tablets. 

Another possibility is that HP could reverse course. Earlier this week, Todd Bradley, the head of HP's Personal System Group, said the webOS-based TouchPad tablet might be resurrected. HP is considering spinning the PSG off as a separate company, with Bradley at its head. If this happens, Bradley would like to offer the TouchPad again.

 Source