While Palm didn’t pull out any big surprises in this morning’s subdued release date announcement, they did confirm what could be described as an incredibly ballsy move: releasing the Palm Pre two days before the start of Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference (i.e. where the iPhone release date was announced in 2007 and the iPhone 3G was announced in 2008). While the rumors have been swirling about what Apple may do at the conference, it is widely anticipated that they will unveil their next generation iPhone to what will surely be a huge (and annoying) media frenzy.
So the question has to be asked: what are Palm and Sprint thinking by going up against a juggernaut like Apple? As our good friends over at sister site The iPhone Blog said, Palm is either crazy, or crazy like a fox. We’ve got to agree, it is a questionable move, as it very squarely pits the Pre against the iPhone much more than an earlier release date would have. Maybe that’s what Palm wants, because as we’ve seen, a lot of the comparisons (multi-tasking, physical keyboard, open development, etc) seem to favor the Pre. But then, with the secrecy that Apple operates under, it’s hard to know what, if anything, they may have up their sleeves.
T-minus 18 days.
Comments
PRE FTW
With the rumors that Apple might announce something and not ship it that date anyway, the point might be moot. But, I think since they have little to no money for publicity purposes, this is the best move Palm could make. It forces every iPhone review to have a Pre comparison, and even being mentioned in the same breath as the iPhone means a lot for general perception.
It may not take customers away from Apple, but with the way the market is expanding lately, they don't have to.
i totally agree with you!
I highly doubt that Apple is announcing a new iPhone at their WWDC; probably just more developments on new iPhone OS 3.0.
http://palmgoon.com/wall-street-journal-says-no-iphone-at-wwdc/
This is exactly on point. Moreso, not only do they have 6 months of time on the *assumed* announcement, they also have another few months before any potential devices street.
This, combined with the fact that the original iPhone contracts expire 3 weeks after the release means that the Pre can definitely gain ground if they provide a solid showing in those few weeks.
They couldn't have timed this any better... D Day indeed!
apple isn't coming out with a new cell phone this year. Just new software.
I agree somewhat. But there have been some rumors of apple buying large quantities of memory and the appearance of a purge of current iphone3G stocks. There have been list of "wants", like better res camera, more memory but that's all I've seen. Memory and camera may be mild, but I'll admit a 32GB phone would be nice, but not enough for me to get out of a current 3G and probably not enough to dump a 1st gen either.
If you're PALM/Sprint you want people to talk about the Pre/webOS, and people do a lot of talking at WWDC. It might not be super positive talking, but the cream will rise.
Hopefully this will keep some of the iphone fan boys away from the Sprint stores on June 6th, which will allow me to get a Pre
omgahhhhhhhh, if it wasnt just releasing the release date, now im counting down the days till the damn release of the iphone............ so i can laugh at all the tools with their shit phones.
(sprint, palm + me = we haz this)/1000 = iphone 8(
What's that mean in english?
wait a min... remember Palm has Jon Rubinstein... he's got to know what Apple is planning. You can't tell me that someone as high up as he was in Cupertino can't call someone and find out.
Again, the will not be a new iphone, it's only a software (3.0) update.
That is correct. apple doesn't have time to come out with new hardware for a phone when the realized that the bar was raised in January. All they are going to do is release new software that should have been on the isuck from day one.
I can't wait and I have my week planned. Got my money set aside and getting my nails done. I want them to be perfect for the pre.
LOL
TeckieGirl40
I'll bet you'll be the pre-ttiest women in the store that day =)
Or possibly the only one. ;)
no matter what! i never like any apple product due to there restiction to have itunes install to move or play files. That's there down fall and the new software isn't new at all. Turn by turn navigation, cut & paste, whatever, release somthing new.
Of course there will be a third-generation iPhone, and I'll be astonished if it isn't annnounced on June 8th.
From what I've heard - similar form factor, a lower-cost model ($129?), improved camera (3MP with autofocus and video, finally), improved specs (more RAM, faster processor, better GPU), bumped-up capacity (8/16/32 perhaps). What I really hope is that Apple will be able to convince AT&T to either improve their voice + data plan, which is too expensive... or at least offer more flexible options.
The Pre looks great, by the way. I look forward to checking it out.
Initial supply of units will be severely limited! The Pre is expected to sell out easily by close of business on the 6th. It will be several weeks before stock is refilled.
palm pre release
The scandal video:palm pre release-video
The link requires me to download something. This feels like a virus.
How about... no?
I'm in line at my Sprint store right now!
Launching on the same day as Apple would be awesome!
Look, few consumers know about the Pre - us geeks do, but we are a very small slice of the market. If they launch at the same time as Apple, which everyone knows, all the press will be about iPhone 3 vs the Pre - which would be fantastic. Everyone will hear that they should want one of these two cool new phones that are the latest and greatest. And with no simultaneous announcement from RIM/VZ, it would hurt RIM since they won't even get mentioned.
Palm gains far more from being associated with the iPhone launch than being "overshadowed by it". They will never get the coverage of Apple, no matter how good the phone. The goal should be to leverage Apple's PR to the max, and that's exactly what happens if they release on the same day.
It's just like soda, Pepsi does taste tests and comparisons with Coke, but Coke never mentions Pepsi. By striking at the same time Apple announces, Palm will allow the media to make them co-equal with Apple! How amazing is that?
This is good marketing indeed.
I agree it *could* be good marketing. It's certainly very bold. But it carries serious risks as well. While the web OS's multitasking and Synergy compare favorably to the iPhone OS, we don't know yet how the battery life is (Palm has been pretty quiet about it), and Apple has a tremendous headstart (and marketing weapon) with its App Store. Finally, if the initial run of Pres really is limited, it's rather dangerous to stir up a side-by-side comparison and not have your product available during that comparison. So we'll see.
For the record, I think the Pre will sell very well - and very likely save Palm - but it won't seriously threaten the iPhone is any way, shape, or form. Not in '09, anyway.
You are focused on capability, but my point was about press coverage. All the press that covers Apple and mentions pre cuts the amount of advertising and marketing that Sprint has to do. It's free money, and having a 3rd party put the two phones in the same category is saying Pre=iPhone. Priceless.
I doubt there will be limited availability, both from reports from the logistics chains, as well as that best buy, radio shack and some walmart stores hall carrying it. If there was a small number of phones available, you would auction off the distribution partner to the highest bidder. The only reason you go non-exclusive on the launch of a hot new product is because you think you have enough volume to keep everyone supplied and selling a lot more units.
Of course, Sprint is famous for screwing things up. So that could happen again, but I am hoping that Palm is capable of keeping real big mistakes from happening.
re limited availability -
"We don't intend to advertise it heavily early on because we think we are going to have shortages for a while," Hesse said according to a Thomson Reuters transcript. "We won't be able to keep up with demand for the device in the early period of time."
http://www.precentral.net/dan-hesse-limited-stock-means-limited-advertis...
I am a huge Pre fan, but I agree. I think the Pre will sell, especially with people coming from features phones, Windows Mobile devices, and Blackberries. It will sell for Sprint customers and maybe some Verizon customers that are fed up with the fact that they can never get the cool phones. I think the Pre may pick up some 1st gen iPhone users, but I doubt they are going to steal many that have invested money into apps as well as the phone.
I think 2010 will be huge for webOS when the platform expands to other carriers and the OS is mature enough that many of the top developers have started coding for webOS.
Remember, it took Apple a year to even allow 3rd party apps, and it has taken much longer than that for some developers to learn how to code stable applications. I think Palm has more potential for a productivity based mobile OS right now unless Apple somehow caves to the pressure and allows true multi-tasking.
I was thinking the same thing. When Coke blinked and came out with NEW Coke to taste more like Pepsi it was considered a giant marketing mistake.
If Apple mentions they have all these NEW features to make it better than Pre it will give free advertising to Pre. This will be an admission to Apple customers that Palm came out with something better than the current iPhone.
maybe its because that's the earliest time frame palm can confidently release a stable pre, and they just don't give a damn about the iphune
I highly doubt that Apple is announcing a new iPhone at their WWDC; probably just more developments on new iPhone OS 3.0.
http://palmgoon.com/wall-street-journal-says-no-iphone-at-wwdc/
That's not the WSJ, it's one analyst whose analysis in this case I seriously question.
Anyway, Apple isn't stupid; there's little doubt there will be a third-generation iPhone this summer, it's only a question when it will be announced. If it's not June 8, it will probably be several weeks later. But I can say with confidence that WWDC on June 8 is by far the most likely time and place for such an announcement.
It IS a writer from the WSJ making the claim, not a smartphone analyst! What makes you "seriously question" this report? This WSJ report is way more substantial/credible than anything I have seen saying that there will be a new iPhone announced at WWDC.
It really doesn't make any practical sense for Apple to come out with a completely new device considering that they will be releasing the new iPhone OS 3.0 for the current iPhone devices at the same time. A free OTA update for a new OS would only cut down on people buying their completely new device, costing themselves money.
No. The WSJ has an article quoting this analyst. It is *not* from WSJ's own sources, which have a much better track record.
Nor is this analyst even saying there won't be a new iPhone this summer. He just thinks the announcement will arrive in late June or early July instead of WWDC (which frankly doesn't make a lot of sense to me).
Read your own link.
And, what makes me seriously question his report? It's stupid. He's basing it off Apple's WWDC press release, as if they'd pre-announce their announcement while they're trying to sell (dump, really) current model iPhones.
John Gruber puts it best here:
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2009/05/13/blodget-iphone-apis
what about the priiiiiiiice?????????????
http://www.precentral.net/official-palm-pre-releases-june-6th-199-after-...
I think June 6th is significant, & not only because it is only 2 days prior to the WWDC. Think historically--it is the anniversary of D-Day. An operation that had high risk, yet potentially & realized very high reward. From the day's historical significance, I think it may be just as significant to Palm/Sprint as it was to the Allies. It is about gaining a "foot-hold" in the smart phone market.
This is from the army.mil website:
"June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe..."
i dont know if i have just missed this, but is Sprint/Palm still going to announce some "big" secret about this phone that has yet to be revealed? or is it just rumors?
Quite possibly a rumor, but if not, no need to announce until the release. No need to give the competition three weeks to counter any said feature when your customers can't even get it.
thestreet.com is sooooo dumb and has no business or techsense whatsoever..check out this horrendous video:
http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/video/10503098/palm-pre-vs-iphone.html?c...
OH MY GOSH!!! THESE PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS! this is why investors are SOOO dumb..didn't they realize palm did all of this intentionally! they are so much smarter than people think
1. intentionally held it close to wwdc to take apple's thunder
2. price IS competitive, didn't want to price it too low to make it look cheap, since the hardware, equipment, and quality of sophistication of the phone is much higher than the iphone
3. price plan..this is for EVERYTHING! everything data...att's new 'iphone' plane will still be limited and not unlimited...att's unlimited plan is still $130 a month...
god i hope investors are not dumb and don't listen to pricks like this..these people have no tech saavy whatsoever:
$199 for an 8gb Pre or $199 for the new 16gb iPhone? Palm has screwed up big.
Well, we'll see what the specs of the third-generation iPhone are. But I agree 8GB is a bit low.
They don't seem to be pushing the Pre as media phone, for better or worse. Probably wise, actually, considering all media has to be drag & dropped.
Not true at all! Music can be downloaded from Amazon Music store. The Pandora app gives your internet music. Sprint TV and Sprint Radio give you high quality OTA television and radio. In fact the only thing that HAS to be drag and dropped is personal video.
I should have clearer - media *management*. Meaning, managing your own collection of media, especially music. Pandora is nifty, but one is often in places that have a weak signal, or offline completely.
You got your numbers wrong buddy. It is $199 for an 8GB iPhone and $299 for the 16 GB! I think it is easy to say that the 8GB Pre is of more value than both iPhone versions, for the same or less money!
Palm didn't screw up big, you did!
Also there is no new 16GB, third generation iPhone, just rumors right now!
http://palmgoon.com/wall-street-journal-says-no-iphone-at-wwdc/
I am also in favor of the pre but apple will come back hard and they seem to come out with new features faster than Palm. I also think that Sprint will get more new customer is they allow instant rebate versus mail in rebates.
Agreed. It seems most likely that the next iPhone will come in both 16GB and 32GB flavors and still retain the current price points.
Hypothetically:
iPhone (3rd Gen): 16GB, OS 3.0, a billion apps and games, upgraded hardware for $199
or
Palm Pre (1st gen): 8GB, webOS, slightly superior hardware specs, no initial app bonanza, limited media management for $299 (with $100 mail-in rebate)
I'm rooting for the Pre, but I gotta tell you that's going to be a tough sell no matter how awesome the phone is.
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