[3GScottishUser]

The rumour of O2 getting the worldwide exclusivity on retailing Palm's promising Pre smartphone first appeared in March, courtesy of Spanish newspaper, Expansion.

This has been all but confirmed by the Guardian which says that the Telefonica-owned company has managed to fend off competition from Vodafone and Orange to grab the Palm Pre franchise. The inability for Vodafone to sign Palm again must surely have left a sour taste for the company as it was faithful to Palm, having distributed Palm's Treo Pro over the years.

The Guardian also understands that the phone, which was launched in January, will be available before Christmas. Arguably, if this turns out to be indeed true, O2 will have both the iPhone and the Pre in its stable. The late UK launch of the product is explained by the limited availability of the Pre outside the UK. It will be distributed in the US via Sprint which will sell the smartphone on a two year contract for $199.99.

It looks as if O2 is pre-empting the possibility that Apple will end exclusivity distribution in the four original iPhone markets - US, UK, France and Germany. O2 may therefore have managed to get another next generation smartphone ahead of the onslaught of Android and Windows Mobile phones coming up.


http://www.itproportal.com/portal/news/article/2009/5/25/o2-get-palm-pre-exclusivity-out-christmas/

[Hands0n]

It may all be too little, too late for the Palm Pre. The mobile phone business is now global, and any American firm taking a US-centric view on the world (that big shiny blue orb thing hanging out there in space) is going to face stiff competition or be eschewed completely by the buying public.

Come Christmas 2009, almost a year after the Pre's launch, we can expect to find the new iPhone in full circulation (they know how to deal globally, extraordinary for a US firm) and any number of Android-based handsets to wipe the floor with the Palm Pre. Why would such a late entrant make any kind of impact? What is Palm's differentiator that is going to capture the public's imagination?

I am thinking that anything that Palm say they can do in the Pre can, and possibly will, be implemented in either the iPhone or Android handsets - it is, after all, only software. But looking through the Palm Pre's specifications and features I am hard pressed to see anything that would particularly sway me, or make me want to wait out what is left of 2009 in anticipation of getting a Pre.

Even if Apple do away with the O2 exclusivity deal in the UK I cannot but help feel that the mobile operator is barking up the wrong tree. If I were them I might be wanting to stock out the widest selection of smartphone based on OS X and Android. As a mobile operator I'd play the waiting game with Symbian and Windows Mobile which have yet to show themselves to meet the challenge of the two relative newcomers.

[Ben]

Hmm, yes, O2 would need to get this handset on the shelves fast.

Not sure what to think of the speculation. All of this exclusivity rubbish is getting on my nerves.

[gorilla]

I can only assume that the Pre gives some sort of superior web experience.

I'll believe it when I see it.

[Hands0n]

I can only assume that the Pre gives some sort of superior web experience.

I'll believe it when I see it.

I'm taking the same view myself. There is some talk about how it integrates the various messaging apps - but I've not seen any demos yet. I can't think how else the Pre competes with the iPhone or Android - it is at least 12 months behind in terms of apps and the stores (App Store and Android Market). There are only so many ways to view and interact with web - Apple need to sort out their lack of Flash though.

Also, Palm are reportedly only a short space away from Chapter 11 if the reports are right. The Pre may be their last shot at any serious recovery!

[gorilla]

That's the thing with the Pre, although it's based on web apps, has anyone developed for it yet? I love my iPhone and will probably get the new one, but if I don't it will be for an Android device. The Pre is just hype at the minute and until we get some substance, Palm is treading water.