Could webOS be the make-or-break Palm Pre's secret weapon? CTOs with experience developing webOS smartphone apps think so, saying the mobile operating system's familiar building blocks will create a new paradigm in mobile programming.

The fate of the embattled handset maker relies on the success of the Palm Pre, which goes on sale Saturday. All eyes are on the Pre as it will compete with new versions of the iconic iPhone, expected to be released days -- or weeks -- later in what's shaping up as a competitive summer in the smartphone market as rivals roll out signature products.

At stake is nothing less than the lion's share of the lucrative smartphone market, which is growing amid a wider slump in cell phone sales.

For Palm, the Pre marks the company's rebirth -- and its future. After years of losing market share, it has to successfully launch the Pre and follow up with other models built around a viable ecosystem, and this largely depends on the experience the software delivers, both to consumers and developers.

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