The Curious Case of the Verizon Palm Pre 2 79
The Verizon Pre 2 was announced on October 19th and set to hit "in the coming months." Those months have rolled by with nary a Pre 2 on Big Red and now we're fast approaching HP's Think Beyond event where at least one and possibly two phones will be announced. Whether or not next week's announcements will make a Verizon release pointless is unclear.
Since then we've seen hints and heard whispers, including yesterday's spotting of the Verizon Palm Pre 2 on the CelleBrite system. Now we have the above image of the Palm Pre 2 showing up on Verizon's rebate form. Here's the curious thing: those rebates are going away completely for smartphones on Valentine's day, as our pals at Android Central discovered. Indeed, the above form is set for the period between January 10th and February 14th. Odd? Odd.
We are very tempted to conclude this: the Verizon Pre 2 should have been released by now and plans changed at the last minute. Perhaps they wanted to release it with a little more fanfare at their event on the 9th. Perhaps it's been scuttled altogether. Perhaps Verizon's notoriously stringent standards for handsets have kept the Pre 2 from release. Perhaps all those Android 4G phones distracted Verizon. Perhaps sunspots - we hate those things.
All we know for sure is that although the Pre 2 has been underwhelming to most, the promised Skype integration (remember that?) seemed pretty keen and given how difficult it's been to buy a webOS phone from a carrier at all lately, it's a disappointment that Palm and HP didn't release the Verizon Pre 2 in time for the holiday season.
The big question is: would it be a disappointment for Verizon and Palm and HP to release the Palm Pre 2 now? As with all things related to webOS these days, we're just going to have to wait until the 9th to find out for sure.
Thanks, Anonymous!
79 Comments
Maybe the Pre 2 was just a placeholder.
I don't think so. I bet the Pre 2 was supposed to be released at the beginning of January but got delayed for some reason.
I'm more excited about the February 9th event than the Pre 2 being released on Verizon. I hope a slab phone will come to Sprint by June.
They can release the Pre 2 but it needs to be cheap. It needs to be the cheapest smartphone offered.
However, I am on Sprint and could give a Rats hind-quarters what Verizon does. I'd just assume see Verizon become THE Android carrier. Let Android freaks all go to Verizon.
I understand what you are saying, but last year's roadmap made it look like Sprint was going all in with Android. Verizon is diversifying the most. I'm on Sprint too. I have a Pre and an Evo. I really think there is room for WebOS, Android, and RIM on the carrier. Especially since they will be getting into the WinMo 7 game late, and probably never in the IOS game.
It seems like I saw a report that Android was the fastest growing mobile OS. If that is true, any carrier that did not offer any Android devices is actually betting against the stats. At the same time, I would not recommend a carrier offer only Android.
I agree that the only reason a Pre2 would matter at all at this point is if it's a super cheap "intro" webOS device.
The rebate form expiring in 11 days is curious. However, it's easy enough for them to do a new rebate form with a later expiration date. It does seem that they did plan to release the Pre2 on VZW earlier but must have decided to wait until at least 02/09 for some reason.
My guess is Verizon saw the new HP phones and decided the Pre2 was pointless, but all parties have kept quiet to string us along.
The new phone they just gave a "glimpse" of looks like a Pre2 replacement, but smaller (thus making it look thicker in the closeups.) They'll probably also announce a big-screen phone and the tablets. Six days and counting...
You may be on to something. Maybe when Verizon saw what HP had in the pipeline, they decided to do nothing until the new devices became available.
If the Pre2 is released at all it should be the entry model device. It would really be "underwhelming" for a flagship device. The Pre2 is what we needed to get last summer.
With hardware on par with the Android 'super phones', Flash (as opposed to iOS)...I don't understand what you mean by 'underwhelming'...
How about 'cause it's a dinky POS with like 4 apps made by your mother?
agreed...
They're probably better off pulling a Foleo and just scrapping the Pre 2 for Verizon and moving on to the New/Beyond/Big/Small/Whatever. If there are really new things ready to ship, the Pre 2 will get lost in the shuffle.
Totally agree! The Pre2 is so 2010 and will be totally lost in the sea of newer devices that HP has up their sleeves.
Speaking of Foleo...how about Motorola's XOOM?
I changed to VZW to get the Pre+. If they don't do something now that I've hit 1 year, I can always go elsewhere (except AT&T) to get what I want.
I don't like being lied to!
I have a Verizon launch day Pre Plus that has performed very well. I think the Pre 2 is a better build and would not mind moving over to it if my Plus gives out. All I hope for is that Verizon will continue to have a webOS smartphone.
So now what do all you say about jumping ship from Sprint to Verizon for the Pre 2? I didn't think so...
I'll bet they can it and either get no webos (hope not) or better yet get the new phones. No one's gonna carry the Pre2 (palm will likely D/C it 2/9 in favor of the "think ahead" phones - which is the way it ought to be)
Palm Pre 2 is a Red Herring to distract us from the new Palm phone to be announced on 2/9. This phone will be released on all "Palm Pre 2" announced carriers on 2/9ish and other carriers within the following weeks.
After reading the above, i do like the idea of an "Entry Level" Pre2, a SuperPre and a Pixi style phone. I'm much more interested in SuperPre but the other two would give options to push the WebOs market share. WebOs will need multiple phones to compete with both the many Android devices and the solitary iPhone.
You might say the Pre 2 is a "Big Red" herring?
Call me crazy but I think it has more to do with the iPhone on Verizon, with the iPhone coming the Pre 2 is just going to get lost in the shuffle. In fact I wouldnt be surprised if Verizon ditches WebOS all together. I mean they currently have no WebOS devices available anyways...
You are crazy. (Happy?) Seriously, I would not be surprised if you are correct that Verizon has been focused on the iPhone.
funny how the Pre 2 seems so old, being a device that practically hasn't seen the light of day.
If you ask me, the Pre2 should be sold to the Kin teen audience as a very affordable phone for family plans. I don't see any other way of selling it in the advent of all these new devices. If they don't, Verizon shouldn't sell it at all (and perhaps that's what will happen)
pre 2 shuda been a free upgrade to sprint premier customeres as a thank you for sticking around I love palm and they make me feel all fuzzzywuzzzzzy !!! I'd like to see new harware for sprint :) on the 9th lets keep our fingers crossed
Maybe the GPS just worked too well.. (too soon?)
Seriously, I agree with the previous posts.. with HP set to announce their overall strategy, which will definitely include mobile, Verizon probably wants the phones that HP designed in-house, not the last phone that Palm designed.
Speaking of GPS, did you see this retweet from Phil McKinney?
@DeadTechnology: @philmckinney Since you're a cacher, can we get better GPS in future phones? [trying .. harder to do than you think]
If the Pre2 is part of the event on the 9th as the phone part of the show that will be an epic FAIL. I don't think it will as I would like to b believe that HP has been able to get things moving faster and they will be announcing a new phone device even it's a Pre-Like device I don't' think it will be a Pre2.
I know for sure that Sprint was going to go Pre2 and then said no thanks in the Fall. I was told a couple of months ago by my very well placed source within Sprint that they did have more coming later with Palm but not the Pre2. Maybe HP got the hint and decided to move "Beyond" now rather than later.
I agree that if the only new webOS phone announced on February 9th were Pre2 it would be an epic failure.
I agree.
On another note, I commend you for saying, "failure". I'm tired of people writing "FAIL" next to everything. It's like the Justin Bieber haircut; it's everywhere and it looks awful.
Oh...uh...I gotta go make an appointment with the barber... :(
Is it time for the next 'leaked' video clip? I'm hoping for...make that 'hopping'...a new secret video each day until the 9th...just a little more glimpse each day to whet...or is it wet?...my appetite!
Palm and Hp is going to have to market blist the 9th to dull the Iphone release in the same month....i am talking about APPPPPPPs baby....let us know you will be kidnapping Iphone app builders and throw some money at the diehard WebOs app people....That would work....just my opinion
The Pre 2 must die! Or at least be at the bottom of the barrel at a low price.
I'm sticking by my prediction that the Pre2 was released as a developer device and that's why there wasn't an official release.
The problem with the Pre 2 is even though it seems old and outdated it still has a pretty impressive spec sheet (except screen size) so it doesnt really fit in as an entry level/bargain priced phone
no kidding.. what's with all the hate on the pre 2? i'd sure love to have me one of them candy coated pre 2's...
I hope they have a new manufacturer for the Pre 2 - the first Pre was built shoddily. The internal stuff works fine, but the physical buttons weren't built with any kind of attention to detail, judging by how my first 3 Pre's have buttons that don't work right out of the box.
Wasn't the Pre built by the same Chinese company that builds the iPhone? If so, why such a radical difference quality/quality control? Money? Parts? Management?
I think the Pre2 will be one of the devices that can be delivered now as promised by Apotheker. It will be the stop gap until the others ship, but it's a device I would seriously look at if the price is right. $99 or under. I like the form factor and a glass screen would be just the improvement I need.
I would be willing to pay a reasonable amount for a Pre2, but only if it did not extend my contract.
At my price level, I would expect a contract, but $299 and no contract ( and no monthly fees?) would be extremely attractive.
You can rule out sun spots. All of the HAM radio guys are bemoaning the fact that they can't get any DX (far radio contacts) because the sun spot cycle sucks.
But all the other choices seemed valid.
Despite all the controversy the Palm site still says Pre 2 "Coming soon on Verizon Wireless."
For all those wishing for multiple form factors this obviously makes sense. This will be one form factor.
And given that they delayed it this much who's to say they haven't made any changes? Maybe they upgraded the processor and memory. Or maybe they upgraded the radio for 4G on Verizon. Only time will tell!
thank you for pointing this out my sentiments exactly
The first Pre was a reject. Did they think the Pre 2 to do better? I will never buy another Pre like phone again. My finger tips hurt just thinking about the days typing on it.
It still says webOS 2 in the coming months too lol
haha, I know, it should say: in the coming years!
if all they release on Feb 9th is the pre 2, they've failed yet again.
Here's my take (and hope) - Pre 2 will NEVER be fully launched on Verizon ("fully" is the operative word - remember it's out there as an unlocked phone that can be used on Verizon).
The reason: Before the merger, Palm already had the Pre 2 in development and early production so had made purchase commitments to its suppliers for a certain quantity of Pre 2's.
Then the merger happended, and the new HP/Palm realized they had this inventory coming their way (they had already been paid for and HP/Palm was going to get them whether they wanted to or not). BUT, they wanted to move on to developing the next best things (Pre PLUS 3? Tablets, etc). But even by October, they still didn't know how quickly the "next best things" (NBTs) could be devloped and so they announced the lauch on Verizon and started distributing the Pre 2 internationally.
Then, two great things happended:
1) The NBTs were ahead of schedule for development and production
2) HP/Palm was able to offload their Pre 2 inventory faster than expected with just the international and unlocked versions
So they decided the "full" launch on Verizon wasn't needed to offload inventory and they'd be able to announce/launch the NBTs soon enough not to have to spend the money for a full Verizon Pre 2 launch, which would last only 4-5 months (given the quick development of NBTs).
So hopefully, by Feb 9 we'll have a timeline for getting the Next Best Things and full launch customers will get something even better than the Pre2. We can only hope . . .
bring on the pre 3!
If what comes out on the 9th doesn't blow the mind...I'm switching back to my Treo full time and a time when my phone just worked and did what I needed it to. I HATE the iphone style touch screen! I miss CallRec too!
To Dieter:
Please mention the fact that Skype already works with ALL WebOS phones and that in fact, it was working from the FIRST day the Pre was released. Somehow you discuss OEM software but fail to mention that ShapeServices.com offers Skype (USD $9.99) as a webapp on its web site. The app is located at
http://www.shapeservices.com/en/products/details.php?product=skype&platf...
I've used it for 1.5 years and its works great. Your readers must understand that at working 3rd party solution already exists, even if the OEM does not publish its own version. The spin you gave was that users still have to wait for a Skype solution.
Curious I don't seem to find it in the appcat..
Interesting though..
"IM+ Talk uses callback technology and requires Skype Credits or Skype subscriptions"
While that will keep me from using it (as the need to use minutes AND buy skype credits is a bit unappealing to me. Too bad their site has a quote on the side about how you can call over wifi, as that doesn't seem to apply to the Palm device.. if they update this for webOS 2 then we might have something. (I believe that if it can do voice Memos that apps can use the mic now..)
I've been using the Pre 2 on AT&T for about a week now and absolutely love it. When it was announced I was disapointed but it is a quality phone. I was getting frustrated with the feel of my Pre and all its cracks. If the design of the Pre 2 is a sign of things to come we're in good hands.
If an incredible phone is announced on the 9th I'll probably switch, but if not I'll be more than happy with the Pre 2 (assuming I can finally get it to work on Sprint)
If you can get a GSM (AT&T) device to work on a CDMA (Sprint) network, I will be very impressed!
It'd be hilarious if all this talk of thinking beyond was actually just following up to the launch date of the Pre 2. And that's it. I think some people would cry...
I would cry.
I think the Pre 2, while a phone /we/ all want, is too closely tied to the Pre/+ in user minds and, as such, wouldn't sell well. If the price were low enough, people who would otherwise get an Android phone would probably get a Pre 2: "Well, it was only $50..."
That combined with announcements for new devices next week suggests to me that the Pre 2 is dead in the water. Maybe we'll see a pr3 next week, though I think HPalm would be better off with a new phone brand name. (Keep palm, ditch pre.)
Honestly.. Few points..
First..
_Of course_ they should offer it. We're still at least 3 wks away from any potential device launch, and who knows if a phone will even be one of the devices intro'd on feb9!
Also, what's the point of manufacturing a device (I think we all assume it's been created) and not selling it? That's pretty dumb.. I know that I'm tired of the short battery life I get on my Pre+, largely as a result of the fact that i find it sluggish unless overclocked. Having a better camera, faster processor out-of-the-box, and glass screen would be great, and all-the-better, a GREAT replacement for my too-oft-dropped Pre+. (Power button missing, random shutoffs..)
Second..
How can anyone seriously think that the Pre2 was the last device that Palm had been working on. Really? C'mon now..
Think for yourself, don't just assume that what someone else on the site/forums says is true, just because they sound authoritative, it needs to pass the smell test too..
comment to get comments to show up
it hasn't sold that well overseas so i don't see why it would be different here. It seems very plausible that they scrapped it. In favor of pushing newer 4G handsets. I also wouldn't be surprised if both sprint and verizon would prefer a 4G version of palm hardware.
It is obvious that HP must release some sort of slate type phone asap - hopefully at this event. Many people want that style of phone. And they want all the bells and whistles that they will use exactly twice (like the front facing camera). I hope they get it.
However, I pray that HP keeps a pre form factor, even if it is only a pre2. I don't want a 4" brick in my pocket, I want something about the size of the pre and I want a real keyboard somewhere. Give me that with faster processor, more ram and more storage (or a microSD slot) and I am all over it. A pre2 would be acceptable.
There are obviously multiple tastes in phones and HP knows that to get broadest impact they will have to try to address the most popular few. A slate, a portrait slider like the pre and a landscape slider would be a pretty well rounded family of phones.
Switching to Verizon either way...Sprint can't get their act together with 4G in San Diego. What a joke.
So, Verizon's 4G is available and working there?
Yes.
Where is the next leak/tease from HPalm? I hope it's a daily thing.
Hey Dieter, nice job on the article. (Seriously.)
Meanwhile, the Verizon iPhone 4 is already shipping.
the pre is like a rash that wont go away.
can we please see a real new phone
I'll probably buy it if they ever make them available. Although I'd rather have a slightly larger screen... but nothing bigger than an iPhone, thank you very much.
This is a funny story. I guess we can't get the rebate until we can buy the phone.
Well with the Pre2 being so "underwheming" and all, those poor b*stards that picked up one of the 10 WP7 launch devices should just throw them at a wall.
Not too mention that none of the CDMA WP7 phones has been launched yet in 2011 and they all have those crappy 1ghz, 512mb, 16gb, 5mp specs. I mean they should have been buying one of those "currently" available dual core phones...
Oh wait.
O.o
well, if hp/palm doesn't announce a hot new phone. I'm sorry, but I'm out. Why should I have to suffer when technology is still moving abroad. Every one is skyping, face timing and using tango and here I am =/ I have a hunch that hp/palm will not fall short this time around buy even releasing a supper small phone with a lil key board that a midget couldn't even use with his lil fat fingers. So being that I'm pretty much a webOs buff i'd probably will be hurt and hit sprint for the evo the same day of the announcement if I'm dissappointed... Or even if there's a long period for a release date like they kept moving the pre back befor it's 1st release... Just growing tired.
I have the Palm Pre with Verizon and I absolutely LOVE it! But, it's the only smartphone I have ever owned, so I have nothing to compare it to. That being said, I have only had this phone for 3 months, and currently Verizon isn't offering ANY PALM PHONES whatsoever! Check it out for yourself on the website...first the Pre disappeared, then the Pixi. You can't find anything Palm. Now, does this mean that Verizon has opted out completely on the Palm phones, or has another market forced them out or they would pull their products and Verizon didn't think it was worth the risk, or is this simply a sweep of the old stuff to make way for the New and improved Pre 2? Either way, I have the protection plan, and I would like to know ho wthey are going to replace my phone if there isn't even one to replace it with??? Ugh!!!!! Anyone else in this boat with me?? =)
**Rant over**
Well, I have a Pre 2, bought in the UK, and here's my hypothesis. There's nothing wrong with the hardware. The problem - which Palm, Verizon or both must surely have identified - is actually webOS 2.0.
(1) A glance at the forums indicates that I'm not alone in finding that Google sync is completely non-functional. (2) Even if it was syncing as it should, a calendar that syncs just two months into the future, which is all that the Pre 2 does with Google or Yahoo!, is just not tenable.
An updated OS that fixes these issues is at least as important as new hardware.
I'm getting that old familiar feeling...the one I've had twice before, right before I abandoned my Palm device for something better, more functional, less burdened by "It's coming - soon!" and more buoyed by "It's in there."
I look forward to 2/9 but I've already got my Pre replacement (non-Palm/HP) shortlist.
It's sad to think I may have to admit I've been fooled TWICE by the promise of - but never delivered - Palm superiority.
*sigh*
I'm exhausted by the tone of the comments. I know many are clamoring for a new phone, but my pre does what I need it to do. I have a good feeling that HP is going to rock this, so hang in there.
People are being moved into place. Mr. Rubenstein is on the board of Amazon, for instance. So I feel that, in the background, the seas are swelling.
it would give me much pleasure if Verizion got what we now call a Pre minus, while Sprint got what we call a plus. A tidal shift would fill me with warmth and a contented grin.