HTC is stewing on brewing an OS

MOBILE HANDSET MAKER HTC is thinking about developing a home brew operating system so it can compete on a somewhat more level playing field with Google and Microsoft.

Bloomberg reports that the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer is seriously considering creating its own OS to bung into its phones.

"We continue to assess, but that requires a few conditions to justify," said Cheng Hui-ming, chief financial officer of HTC.

HTC is doing well in the UK with anticipation for its Desire handset at a fever pitch, but it had to use Google's Android OS. It is also one of the biggest manufacturers using Microsoft's Mobile, er, Phone OS.

Building its own operating system could give HTC a fully fledged mobile ecosystem. This would put HTC up there with Apple, RIM, Microsoft and to a lesser extent, Google.

But why build an OS when you can buy someone else's technology? We're not saying that's what HTC is thinking but it is one of three companies bidding for Palm.

HTC could in theory give Palm's OS a spring cleaning, bolt on its own features and call it good. This would take a lot less time than trying to put something together from scratch. µ