By Jenny Lundell

The International Herald Tribune published an article today about a new PalmOS 5.x version solely aimed at smartphones. David Nagel, chief executive of PalmSource, was quoted saying "we are reinventing the company" in a push for licensing this version of the Palm OS to other manufacturers than PalmOne. According to the IHT, PalmSource is saying that soon another 11 phones using its software will be released by undisclosed manufacturers. It is not known if the upcoming Treo 650 will use the new OS. Of course we’re hoping to see more information coming out of the PalmSource Developers Conference later this week in Munich.

Analysts agree that PalmSource is fighting an uphill battle with Symbian owning 70% of the smartphone market and Microsoft trying very hard to grab more marketshare. For Treo users the new strategy of PalmSource should mean good news as it breathes new life in what some were starting to view as a lost fight against other smartphone operating systems. Moreover, it will obviously mean more and better applications for the Treo if other phones are using the same OS. 

Update: another article on eWeek is referring to the new OS as Cobalt, version 6.1, and specifically mentions the Treo 650 that will NOT run on Cobalt.

Read the full IHT article here.

Read the eWeek article here.

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Filed under: Treo and Palm news