Palm Pre – will it take a bite out of Apple?

Posted: 26 August 2009

With O2 having announced that it will be the exclusive supplier of the device in the UK, speculation is growing with regards an official release date for the eagerly-anticipated Palm Pre.

On July 7th this year, the network unveiled details of a deal it had struck with the manufacturer via its Telefonica parent group that would make it the only operator able to provide the smartphone to consumers in the UK, Spain, Ireland and Germany.

However, the company was only able to state at this time that the device would be launched across selected European territories "in time for the winter holidays" - leading to a number of websites and publications coming up with their own schedules as to when this might be.

Most recently, specialist portal mypre.com claimed it had spoken to an O2 employee that suggested the Palm Pre would hit the shelves in Britain on October 30th and this had been confirmed to staff members directly from management. It was also advised that prices had yet to be decided, but it was expected these would be along similar lines to those of the Apple iPhone 3G S.

Earlier this year, an article for Tech Radar covered the launch of the Palm Pre in the US, where it has been on shelves since June. The piece considered some of the frenzied activity that surrounded the device in stores such as Wal-Mart, Radio Shack and Best Buy, as well as the retail outlets of Sprint. It was noted that the phone had already been tipped to potentially topple the iPhone and was meeting with a "warm response from critics and consumers alike".

"Another of the most innovative features is the Cards system. Using the centre button at the foot of the device, users can see a full set of all the open windows and either flick through them or throw them up the screen to discard," it explained, noting other facilities such as the gesture zone for easier access to onboard applications, a "sexy" multi-touch display and "slick, innovative interface" were worthy of praise.

So with anticipation building for the smartphone in the UK, a number of people may have turned to reviews that have come out of the US in the last few months, many of which have addressed the point that it could potentially be a real challenger to the multimedia, touchscreen dominance of the iPhone - which is also currently an O2-exclusive model.

One such article posted on the RantRave website earlier this month looked at many of the smartphone elements of the Palm Pre and said one drawback which has been known to affect such devices is the inability to multi-task using a range of different applications without slowing the gadget down to near inoperable levels. However, this was something the reviewer said was not a problem with this particular handset.

He explained the Pre was "definitely a device that will put Palm back as a key player in the smartphone arena for a long time to come", but on the matter of whether it was strong enough to derail its fiercest competitor was slightly less certain. "The obvious question is […] how does it compare to the iPhone? The answer is I have no idea. Honestly I doubt this phone will win over many iPhone users. They are after all a culture all their own."


However, praise was given to the various parts of the Pre that make it a solid mobile in its own right. The WebOS system, developed especially for the gadget, was a major part of this as it was able to link services from Google, Facebook and others along with phone book contacts. Calendar options were highlighted as an improvement as those the reviewer had experienced with a BlackBerry and the three-megapixel camera was described as capable of producing "excellent photos".

Palm itself unveiled the details of the webOS mobile platform alongside the Pre at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year, stating the system was designed "to be constantly connected to the web" and able to exist as a standalone option that did not require partnership with a PC or laptop in order to be updated. "The new Palm Pre and webOS are designed to be so in sync with your needs that it feels like Pre is thinking ahead for you," the manufacturer added.

In addition, the firm's president and chief executive officer Ed Colligan said the smartphone would be something of a game changer when used alongside the operating system and this would be in response to the ever-changing needs of the modern consumer. "Palm products have always been about simplifying lives and delivering great user experiences," he added.

On announcing that it had secured the rights to distribute the Pre, O2 took the opportunity to highlight some of the reasons why the smartphone was so special, including the Palm Touchstone charging dock which replenished the battery without the need for a traditional docking connection.

Matthew Key, chairman and chief executive officer of the network's parent company Telefonica Europe added that it was clear the firm was emerging as the "home of the smartphone", something which was being illustrated by its acquisition of the new device. "Our customers will be the first outside of North America to experience one of the most successful mobile devices of the year," he added.

The Palm Pre is equipped with HSDPA connectivity, Wi-Fi, integrated GPS, a 3.1-inch touch screen, slide-out qwerty keyboard, media player, standard 3.5mm headset jack, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP stereo support, 8GB of internal user storage, USB and MicroUSB ports, a proximity sensor, light sensor and accelerometer.


Copyright © 2009 MobileShop.com