This was rather unexpected.
LG has used the open source webOS platform for their Smart TVs for a while now and it looks like it’s not stopping there. LG is not concentrating their effort just on Android Wear, as a now-removed developer page revealed they are going to be using webOS as a platform for a future smartwatch instead of Google’s Android Wear.
They aren’t the first company to do something similar, as their closest Korean-based competitor Samsung switched from a custom Android OS build to Tizen for the Gear smartwatches (except the Gear Live, which is running Android Wear). I won’t be surprised if the webOS smartwatch SDK and reference device goes live within a few weeks.
If webOS ends up being significantly more battery efficient than Tizen or Android Wear, we’ll have a clear winner on our hands.
