Palm expected to announce spinoff of software platform

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Handheld computer company Palm Inc. plans to announce Monday that the spinoff of its software platform into a wholly owned subsidiary is complete.<br> <br> The Platform Solutions Group that develops and licenses the Palm operating system now will be independent from the Santa Clara-based company&#39;s other major unit that makes the hardware.<br> <br> Analysts said the move was overdue, and they expect it to help the company better compete against rivals such as Microsoft Corp., whose Pocket PC operating system has been gaining ground among handheld device makers.<br> <br> They said the separation - which means neither unit will share information or subsidize each other - will let Palm avoid snags and conflicts that come from operating as both a hardware and software company.<br> <br> The breakup is designed to attract more Palm OS licensees, and it already has, said David Nagel, president and chief executive officer of the new subsidiary.<br> <br> In process since July, the planned separation had spurred broader discussions with a wider range of potential licensees, Nagel said.<br> <br> He said Palm&#39;s licensee list, which already includes Handspring, Sony, Samsung and Kyocera, now totals a dozen - some of whom have not yet unveiled their Palm-based products.<br> <br> &#34;You can give all the assurances in the world that you&#39;re serious about licensing, but until you&#39;ve shown you&#39;ve done it, the licensees are rightly going to be skeptical,&#34; Nagel said. <br> <br>