Samsung to host first open-source conference

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it will hold a two-day conference on open-source to allow developers to share ideas on the new industrial trend.

The Samsung Open Source Conference (SOSCON), which kicks off Tuesday, aims to cover various themes, such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and big data, and other sectors in relation to open-source. U.S.-based Intel Corp. and the Linux Foundation are also sponsors of the event.

Open-source refers to programs whose source codes are available to the public free of charge, allowing developers from across all industries to modify and redistribute them.

"This event does not intend to discuss Samsung's strategy on open-source projects," an official from the company said. "Rather, it is to exchange ideas on the overall aspects of the industry, which significantly became important in recent days."

The world's No. 1 maker of smartphones also said the event is expected to "bolster local developers' interests in open-source," adding it plans to host the conference every year to set up an "eco-system" of open-source.

Samsung said it has not decided whether to host SOSCON in other countries.

In July, Samsung joined with Atmel Corp., Broadcom Corp., Dell, Intel and Wind River to establish the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) and build a common framework while fostering an open environment to encourage the development of the IoT sector.

Under the plan, the companies aim to launch open-source codes that target specific requirements for smart home and office solutions. The OIC will also gradually expand its scope to cover additional businesses, including automotive and health care. (Yonhap)