Some details are now known about the first (semi-major) update to Palm's webOS platform, as the PDA pioneer's accidentally leaked a version of upgrade 1.2 to some Palm Pre users. One potential feature has received kudos from the Palm Pre community, another not so much.

So, apparently, webOS 1.2 will add LED notifications to the platform. This feature will cause the gesture section of the Palm Pre (located beneath the display) to blink when new notifications (i.e. SMS messages, calls, e-mail, etc.) arrive. People rightfully seem to like this new capability, which they can choose to turn on or off.

On the other hand, webOS 1.2 also allows Palm to remove apps from your Pre at will. This hasn't made folks so happy.

Remember the controversy from a few weeks back where Amazon deleted certain books, including 1984 (of all texts), from some Kindles without permission from owners. Like with Amazon's fiasco, Palm will be able to refund users. But it should be smartphone and use this feature sparingly, if at all.

The kind of negative publicity Amazon received no one needs. Especially Palm, however, which is still in a precarious position after waiting so long to upgrade its mobile-device platform and hardware. It needs to be extra careful about how it is perceived by consumers.

Overall, there are supposed to be more than 9000 modifications to existing webOS code in the update.

There's been no word on when Palm will officially start rolling out webOS 1.2 to Pre users. We'll keep you posted. The video below demos some of the new features in webOS 1.2.

[via Palm Infocenter & Brighthand]