The hopes of Palm are resting on the Palm Pre Smartphone. If it is not a serious success it is probably that Palm’s life will not be long in the land of the cuckoo.
Palm’s UK website has been updated and is now displaying a message to invite those interested to sign up to receive information on the Pre smartphone when it will available in the UK.
IT Portal reports the Pre has emerged as a potent competitor to the iPhone and the slew of other rivals to Apple’s smartphone and tries to offer the best of everything.
It has a smallish 3.1-inch screen but offers a slide out QWERTY keyboard. It comes with Palm’s new WebOS operating system. On top of that, the Pre comes with Wi-Fi and inbuilt GPS.
There are no official release date and no details as to which network has been chosen by Palm to distribute the Pre.
Like previous models, the Pre is likely to be available on PAYG and SIM Free as well. Expansys sells the Palm Treo Pro unlocked for around £340 and the Pre is likely to cost just as much.
T-Mobile has been one recent network offering the Palm. Orange as well could be looking forward to offer it on contracts since, unlike the other UK mobile phone networks, it lacks a major smartphone offer.
Although it is a great smartphone on paper, it will have to show that it is worth it is well up to expectations. Unlike say the iPhone or the Blackberry, Palm experience in the smartphone market is relatively limited and any issues at an early stage could wreck Palm’s reputation for good.