Report: Motorola Mobility building web-based mobile OS

Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI) is reportedly developing its own web-based mobile operating system as a potential alternative to Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android, which presently powers the device maker's smartphones. InformationWeek reports that Motorola Mobility has hired engineers from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Adobe Systems to spearhead the project, which a source said is the result of the firm's concern over Android fragmentation, product differentiation and Google partner support. Motorola Mobility has not denied the existence of the effort, stating only it remains "committed to Android as an operating system." Motorola's line of Android devices includes the Xoom tablet, the Droid X and the Droid Pro.

"I know they're working on [the new OS]," said Deutsche Bank analyst Jonathan Goldberg. "I think the company recognizes that they need to differentiate, and they need options, just in case. Nobody wants to rely on a single supplier." Goldberg said it's unclear how much progress Motorola Mobility has made, however, and also questioned whether the company is fully committed to moving beyond Android. "They don't want to give Wall Street and developers the impression that they're going back to the Motorola of old where they're working on 50 million operating systems at once," he said. "They want to be financially disciplined about this."

For more:
- read this InformationWeek article

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