Palm quietly slips next generation smartphones into mid 2009

Not that many of you are still paying attention, but for you Palm die-hards we've got more news (bad of course) regarding the next generation OS. Dubbed Nova or Palm OS II, Palm's execs have routinely called for the OS to be running on handsets sometime in early 2009 following the end of the 2008 development cycle. Handset delivery was subtly changed to "first half" of 2009 during an analyst call with Palm's CEO last week. Now given the history here, it's pretty safe to call that a delay. Good luck to you Palm, hopefully for your sake someone does notice amidst the onslaught of Android-powered smart- and feature-phones from LG, Samsung, HTC, and others we expect to be flooding the market at that time -- you can't say we didn't warn you.

[Via The Register]

[TareX @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:25AM]

Who so stubborn? They should have joined the OHA instead.

With WM7 powered by Tegra, Android devices controlling every single piece of electronics, and iPhone 3 rumors floating all over Engadget, I doubt anyone will be even blogging about Palm OS II in June 2009.

[loosely_coupled @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:45PM]

Palm is dead - I can't believe people got suckered into the Centro POS.

[The_WB @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:47AM]

Palm has been on life support with Palm OS for years. OS 6 was, without a doubt - vaporware. Several projects dies post development and the amount of people carrying standalone PDA's has shrunk dramatically. They had the product, in it's day, but lost sight of the changing market. The Treo brand is the ONLY thing keeping them afloat.

Unless Palm's new OS hits a Grand Slam home run, Palm will be a fond memory of yesteryears technology. Keep your Treo's - they could be valuable novelty items in about 10 years.

[Freakin Ijit @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:50AM]

This is not really new news - they "slipped" the "device(s) will be out early 2009" to "device will be out first half 2009" awhile back.

THIS time they didn't say Nova would be FINISHED end of 2008, instead they said (as always?) that the "platform development" would be "completed" but furthermore said Nova would be released in pieces with the pieces released at different points in time.

Some of us think that means a minimal release by end of year (like just the kernel), some of us think minimal releases from now til end of year when the whole shebang will be "ready".

[Cybergypsy @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:04AM]

Palm could make a comeback......

[Jon Acheson @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:03AM]

While I'd love to be pleasantly surprised by a Palm comeback, it's getting less and less likely with each passing day.

At this point, the new PalmOS will debut not only after Android, but probably at the same time as the second generation Android devices.

They have to hit a home run just to get back in the game, and I don't think they have it in them.

[Xavier @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:07AM]

Arghhh!!

Just make treo pro runs on Palm OS + wifi + 3G and I'm sold.
I don't care about multitasking or Nova or Palm OS II....
Damn... I can even settle with 650 + wifi + 3G

[dagwud @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:19AM]

And dagwud quietly slips his Palm Tx into his pocket and starts to seriously consider an iPod touch.

[c @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:29AM]

Code Name for next gen palm OS: Palm Nukem Forever !!!

[Treo650User @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:32AM]

The time WILL come. Palm, wrte your WILL.

[cmil1212 @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:34AM]

So engadget thinks Palm should've played around with android? That's stupid. What palm is trying to do is what apple has accomplished..control the OS, the hardware, the whole experience. That's the only way they can push updates and do what they really want to do.

So a company comes out and designs an OS and you think everyone should cave in and go with it based on the company's rep? That's downright unamerican.

History lesson for Engadget. Palm basically started the smartphone market along with the WM OS. Despite any mistakes they made in the past, the palm OS was remarkable for its time and is STILL superior to all but a few mobile OS's. Some would argue all given the simplicity of palm's OS and what it can do (yes, much more than the iphone).

Instead of trying to attempt to preach to a company what it should be doing (as if engadget really has a clue), how about you get excited and try to anticipate what the new Palm OS might be like? This is your job. I don't really see you out there saying google should drop their OS idea and team up with Apple. How many smartphones has google produced in the past? What kind of google OS have you used? Enough with the google worshiping. It's pretty sad these days that all the tech blogs can't be a bit unbiased or use common sense.

Why should palm jump on android and simply be another maker if 30 other companies will be coming out with android phones? They will surely die then.

Palm needs to be Palm. So let them. I agree that the competition will be fierce and palm will need something very unique to be staying the course they laid. But stop trying to hinder or criticize it. You should applaud them instead instead of advocating Android for everyone while trying to keep in mind it may be crap or especially the disadvantages. Yes, it's extremely risky for palm, but sometimes you have to take a risk.

[Tonicboy @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:53AM]

BWAHAHAHA. You've got to be kidding, right? Do you seriously think that Palm could Pull off an Apple? Control the hardware, software and whole experience? The ONLY reason they were able to do it the first time around is because they were first to market. They didn't have a single competitor so it's no wonder they "remarkable for their time". And then they pissed it all away. They let Windows Mobile steal market share quarter after quarter. They let Apple win the innovation crown. They let it all go down the drain. And now you think a company with that kind of track record has the muscle to go it alone in this overcrowded market? Give me a break. Google has a good chance at it because they aren't trying to do it alone. They have formed an alliance of companies who, together, can develop the diversity of products and put the amount of marketing into it that a single company never could (save Apple). In any case, this is all moot, since Palm has been trying to develop a next-generation OS for over a decade and they haven't given us any evidence that they're able to make it happen.

[cmil1212 @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:15PM]

It's actually apple that's pulling a palm at present. So you have it backwards. But palm did it once, they can do it again. You don't seem too bright. The iphone, WM, and android's vaporware, are merely 3 OS's. The first one is very limited and controlling. The second one is bloated, not user friendly with crap core apps. And android isn't even out and will probably be stuck in beta for years given google's history with gmail. An ad driven OS..wow.. You can keep that google crap.

I think there's plenty of room in the market palm made to play in.

[Jonathan @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:40AM]

"We believe a seamless and spectacular integration of software and hardware will emerge as the most important differentiator of smartphones"? Surely that's already the case.

[dukemang @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:55AM]

Palm quietly slips...away.

[reuvypoo @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:19AM]

This was posted almost a month ago, I'm sure of it.

[joe blow @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:09AM]

I'm amazed Palm has managed to stay in bidness in such a competitive market. I'm a user myself of a Garmin iQue, but every single move Palm makes just causes me to shake my head. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I keep expecting some magical resurrection, and it never comes.

[lessfamoushomer @ Sep 22nd 2008 12:54PM]

Did you say the new operating system will be called "Palm O/S2" ?

[John T. Haller @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:07PM]

Yeah, I was very happy with my Palm III and then later my Tungsten E. My Treo 680 has been a mess though (2 phones and 3 SIM cards to get it properly connecting and it still crashes randomly just sitting in my pocket). For all intents and purposes right now the Palm OS is very dead. If they staged a comeback with an open source app that did all it's supposed to do out of the box and desktop-side software that synced with Thunderbird/Lightning or whatever your choice, I'm sure a lot of us would reconsider. Until then, Android seems to make a lot more sense.

[lanejasper69 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:22PM]

Didnt Palm tell us by end of 2008 last year? And now bumped it again, they are done!!!!

[lanejasper69 @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:22PM]

Didn't Palm tell us by end of 2008 last year? And now bumped it again, they are done!
Plus the fact that by the time they do release there will be something better etc. So they'll always be playing catchup blowing millions on advertising and R&D. I'd hang it up Palm, seriously, while you have SOME dignity left and money!! I have a Centro as a spare phone in car, so not a hater I just dont see them carching up with todays market and everytime the push release date, so one else releSes some new touch techmology or SOMETHING and they have even more competition to contend with. I'd call it quits. Too late on that bandwagon!!!!

My 2 cents

[Familyguyrokz @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:11PM]

Palm OS II will be released alongside Duke Nukem Forever. Don't worry, it's coming soon.

[keithwwalker @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:01PM]

Palm stepped in the major doo doo when they split with Access.jp Have you tried the new version of Netfront? Amazing stuff (dare I say iPhone quality browser?).

So Palm splits with Access, who is developing essentially the same OS. The question is, especially in light of Android which has buy in from many companies, is why dilute your OS to a single manufacturer?

I know why, they are following the Apple proprietary model, what with plenty of ex-apple employees at Palm...

[yrag @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:46AM]

I still own and still love my Treo 650. I've had it a loooong time and it's still great. (I also have an iPhone, which is amazing in many ways, but until it can do basic things that I use all the time like cut-and-pastes, and easily get files from my computer, edit them and the easily send them back to my computer, I'm still relying on my Treo. The iPhone right now is just an expensive toy that I hope one day . . .

But that's not why I called.

Ed Colligan should have been fired a long time ago. A CEO is supposed to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. To have a vision, and a road map and TIME TABLE for how to get there. To hire the people to make that vision a reality, and (sorry), fire those who can't get the job done. All Colligan has done for years is make vague promises and excuses that not even the most loyal take seriously anymore. The Treo Pro? New paint on an old model.

Under Ed Colligan a market creator and catagory leader has become less than an also ran, he has allowed it to become a sorry footnote. Nice going Ed.

[Em @ Nov 12th 2008 3:23AM]

As long as my Treo 650 holds out for the newest smartphone with a Palm OS, I don't care...but hurry up guys....it's already 3 years old!!