Since Google announced their Motorola Mobility acquisition, there have been questions as to what this could mean to other mobile device manufacturers with regards to the Android platform.  And with evidence of Google favoring certain partners, others have already found ways to limit or one day end their dependence on the Android platform.

Samsung recently released three smartphones that run on their Bada platform, which they released in 2009.  The platform is used in low-end mobile phones in Europe which hasn’t really gained traction.  They have also partnered with Microsoft to produce an 11–inch tablet that runs on the Windows platform.

According to an anonymous source, Samsung plans to launch the Bada platform as an open source by 2012.  Aside from opening up a new market for app developers, Samsung is also said to be planning on integrating the Bada platform in their Smart TVs to incorporate advanced functions such as on-demand streaming into flat-screen displays

Samsung “is planning to make Bada software an open source platform next year,” a person familiar with the situation said, adding the South Korean company has no plans to buy a software company.

Samsung hasn’t been doing well in the market as their battle with Apple led to their ban in Europe and the delayed product launch in Australia.  As their legal battle between Apple is based largely on the physical aspect of their devices, even if they change the OS in their current products, that won’t do much.  Assuming that they would launch Bada as an open source platform, this could mean more developers would come knocking on their door.

Another company that relied heavily on the Android platform is HTC but also recently made a move and teamed up with Microsoft and released Mango-powered smartphones.  Aside from this, HTC could be releasing their own OS or they could be buying the webOS from HP and transform it into an open source platform.  HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang clarified that they are carefully considering and studying this move as they do not want to end up like HP.

Open source platforms have potential to earn some serious revenue, if they’re monetized properly.  But the presentation of additional platforms means more options for developers, and this is a bunch that truly needs convincing.  With the dominance of iOS and Android, even Microsoft has to lure developers back to its mobile camp.  Bada has the benefit of a global reach and its own handsets, but the developer ecosystem is also showing signs of commercializing around established, cross-platform systems that centralize efforts across multiple mobile OS’s.  Appcelerator’s recently launched marketplace is evidence of this shift.