No new Palm devices until Q1 2009
Posted on 22 September 2008, at 7:27 am, by Wayne Schulz
Just when you thought things might be looking bleaker(er) for Palm, out comes their recent announcement that their Linux based OS II a.k.a. Nova (first due in 2007) will probably-positively-unless-hell-freezes-over-again ship by the end of 2008.
We’ve all been some of us have been waiting for new Treo devices (Sorry but in my view the recent Treos are nothing but refreshes and color changes – aka lipstick on a pig). Although the new OS/2 operating system will ship by 12/2008 – there will be no new models of phones based on this OS until the first half of 2009. I’m sure this little delay will be nothing for Palm to overcome. After all Palm undoubtedly still makes a micro percent of margin outsourcing the building of their present devices and paying Microsoft a fat royalty for those Windows Mobile based Treo’s that seem to be about the only business model they sell anymore.
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3 Comments For This Post
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:36 am
I predict that Palm will sell out before the first Treo with new O/S hits the streets in 2009.
Their product line:
1. Centro – which is give away to retain market share (aka no profit)
2. Treo – which seem to all be Windows Mobile (royalty to Microsoft)
Their design is massively long in the tooth and they’re rapidly losing “shelf space” (aka phone carrier) and mind share to Blackberry, HTC and soon Android.
I do not think they will regain even a portion of their prior luster.
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Gosh Wayne, you sound like those grumpy old men over at PalmInfoCenter. I think that all smartphones available today have lots of room for improvement. Hopefully Palm can bring some new ideas or at least better implementation to the table. Regardless, I won’t be dancing on their grave.
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:38 am
I may have to think as Wayne does. It seems that either they (Palm) have given up the ghost or there is a strategy somewhere there and they haven't told us. Perhaps the strategy has been to play catch-up? Even that would be OK if they shared some info with us loyal customers.
The situation seems bleak: Retail stores have closed or sold to others; No new, really 'new' products have been in the marketplace for a loooong time. Blackberry brought out 3 in one year (a flip phone, the Bold and now the Storm). Christmas is usually the main selling time, next to back to school, but there seems to be some lagging behind.
I don't know why I am hoping and waiting…but I am…it is getting frustrating!
Some rumors have said of new money and talent and that the Apple name was thrown around. A Palm that acts like an Apple? That would be welcome! But don't make it hinged to the net as Apple does. It is one of the reasons why I am not convinced by the iPhone. But if I need to wait any longer, I may not have a choice!