Commercial Times: Palm "smartphones" delayed to end of year (updated with Palm's response)

Here's a murky report flushed from the bowels of rumor-dom that's sure to get investors into a tizzy as information and misinformation spreads. The Commercial Times, with its hit-or-miss record of rumor mongering is reporting that Compal Communications, "will be forced to postpone its shipments of smartphones to Palm from mid-year to the end of the year." It goes on to say that,

"Palm's two smartphones will be delayed as Compal is waiting for Qualcomm's new chipset solutions that will enable better performance."

Now, before you panic, keep a few things in mind. First, the article never specifically mentions the Pre which Palm has emphatically stated (just 3 days ago) is on track for launch in the first half of 2009. Also, DigiTimes which is re-reporting the rumor from the original Chinese-language source claimed last week that Chi Mei, not Compal, was doing the Pre assembly. Also note that Palm has stated that the Pre uses a TI OMAP processor making the Qualcomm quote a bit dubious. Our take? This rumor's bunk, at least as it applies to the Pre. We'll be getting a statement from Palm just as soon as they awake.

[Thanks, Herman M.]

Update: Palm just followed up with us on this, stating that there is "No change in our previously announced plan to have the Pre available in the first half of 2009." Phew!

[Steven M @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:30AM]

Great! This rumor will force Palm to say something...otherwise their stock will die.

[Sisyphus @ Mar 23rd 2009 10:39AM]

Fucking Jim Cramer.

[mike @ Mar 23rd 2009 11:46AM]

Cramer's not the asshat who said all the iPhone users would throw their phones out the window when the Pre came out.

That douchebag probably still has his job too.

Palm is so dead. If this thing ever sees the light of day, Apple with just sick the lawyers on these guys.

[Steven M @ Mar 23rd 2009 11:48AM]

Sicking lawyers on people? Sounds like another company we know and love!

[Landincoldfire @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:34AM]

Seeing that my contract is up for renewal in a week. I am hoping to score a Pre in a few months with a fresh contract.

Other than the Pre there doesn't seem to be any phone that catches my attention compared to the Mogul I use now.

[Brandon L @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:59AM]

I'm in the exact same position....my Mogul's slider crapped on me this past weekend. A few months ago, I was looking at the Touch Pro to replace this (then the Touch Pro2 came out). I hope Palm comes through on this and quickly.

[Freakin Ijit @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:02AM]

> ...my Mogul's slider crapped on me this past weekend...

Slider crap outs are relevant to the Pre - maybe Engadget or someone should look into the robustness of slider mechanisms.

[neodorian @ Mar 23rd 2009 12:59PM]

Yeah, my Mogul was having screen issues so I did a swap but luckily they gave me a Touch Pro instead. It's much nicer than the Mogul but I wouldn't have shelled out for it with the Pre on the way. As it was, I only had to pay $50 to upgrade to a brand new Touch Pro. It should hold me over until the summer quite nicely.

[Freakin Ijit @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:38AM]

Qualcomm makes CDMA radios - perhaps that's the connection - and maybe what is being delayed isn't the Pre but some OTHER unannounced phone. Or maybe the rumor is total crap as has happened more than once in the past.

I hope Palm comments.

Note - Palm HAS to comment if it's the Pre since that for SURE would be material.

[Mike Cerm @ Mar 23rd 2009 10:53AM]

Palm will have to comment. The only thing Palm has announce is that the Pre will be available in "first half of the year". The first half of the year is already half over, and they still haven't gotten more specific.

Has the Pre been approved by the FCC yet? Have they even filed yet? Usually the approval is leaked a month or two prior to the actual product launch. If that doesn't come out soon, there's definitely going to be problems.

[ToniCipriani @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:30PM]

Actually I recall the leaked Sprint document mentioning something about Qualcomm on it as well.

[loocas @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:38AM]

I want more iPhone newz!

[Ethos @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:41AM]

"I want more iPhone newz!"

Spelt wrong.

"I want more TROLL newz!"

[EGOvoruhk @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:38AM]

"Spelt wrong."

Spelled wrong.

[Kelmon @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:32AM]

The English language weeps at both of you...

[Shattered Ice @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:40AM]

No no he spelt it right.

[boxeeftw @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:51AM]

"spelled wrong"
semantically incorrect
spelled incorrectly

[loocas @ Mar 23rd 2009 10:34AM]

I weep at the poor level of sense of humour and sarcasm that engadget readers have. o_O

[Decoy @ Mar 23rd 2009 3:01PM]

Leave grammar alone!

[gareth @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:41AM]

they are just scared of apple and the rest

[pika2000 @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:42AM]

Whatever. Palm, release the GSM/3G Pre unlocked worldwide, and go from there. Provider locking is so last year, oh wait...

[JakePT @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:44AM]

Didn't we learn anything from the Cramer/Stewart face off? This could just be a BS rumour designed to manipulate Palm's stock price.

[Kelmon @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:35AM]

You know, that was exactly what I was thinking. You release information like this and Palm's stock dives (time to buy). Palm subsequently releases a statement saying that there is no delay and that the information released earlier is a steaming pile of dung, and Palm's stock rises back again (time to sell for a quick profit).

Rumors like this seem to be far too easy to manipulate.

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:42AM]

Watch the tech blogs, and how hard they push this rumour.

Many have been desperate for some FUD on Palm and will push this story hard.

When the story falls apart, they can just blame it on some shoddy Chinese writer, but damage is already done.

[Freakin Ijit @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:45AM]

Since the story is destined to die a SUDDEN death if not true, one would logically conclude someone desiring a LONG position has put it out there in the hopes of getting in cheap on Palm stock.

Be careful who you blame for "stock moving unfounded runors" - you might be surprised.

[Gouken @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:17AM]

OMG

SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL
SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL !!!!!!!

[Chris @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:44AM]

"Before you panic"......

Right, headline the article with "Palm Smartphones Delayed" and show a pic of a pre.

"I want more iPhone newz!"

Sorry pal, the iphone sucks. (And is made by an evil money sucking company, aka "Apple")

[macraca @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:48AM]

You're right. Swapped out Pre image for palm logo.

Thomas

[loocas @ Mar 23rd 2009 7:50AM]

NO! Apple be no evil! They make bestest products, comes nice with my double-macchiatto at Starbucks!

[Aaron @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:18AM]

They could be talking about the modem rather than the CPU. It all still sounds fishy though.

[cmil1212 @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:29AM]

Don't do this to me on a Monday morning...

[ewrtjh @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:33AM]

ZOMG IPHOENZ SUX AZZ~!!!! I IZ SO INTELIGANT!!!! ZUMG PAlM PREE SUX 2!

[freediverdude @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:35AM]

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!..............(sound of millions of tech geeks everywhere fainting onto their laptops)

[haX0r @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:37AM]

This is not true. I have a friend higher up in Sprint and they are "On Target" for releasing the Pre. The article is full of shit.

[krische @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:10AM]

They keep saying that they are "On Target" for launch. Well tell us what that target is already!!!!

[dirk long @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:18AM]

June is the target.

[Paul Brown @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:24AM]

I want my Palm Pre!!!!

[Decoy @ Mar 23rd 2009 3:02PM]

and when do you want it?

[OmariJames @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:39AM]

And this news comes right after APPLE hosted an OS 3.0 preview. Hmm.

Maybe they are actually waitting to see how well the new OS and device does in the summer.

They might also want to figure out their advertising strategy.
However I hope they don't attempt another " Instinct VS iPhone [ edge ] " commercial.

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:53AM]

"And this news comes right after APPLE hosted an OS 3.0 preview. Hmm.

Maybe they are actually waitting to see how well the new OS and device does in the summer. "

That made no sense.

Did you even read this story?

[Blah @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:46AM]

Palm couldn't have named the device better than Pre...that's what every geek seems to have over this thing..pre-mature ejaculation.

This phone will die with a whimper, the once great Palm dragged it's feet for far too long and has lost market share to WM, Apple, BB, and Symbian.

Get off Palms nuts and have the device hit the market before we crown it the second coming.

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:52AM]

But yet when the same people do it for you had no issue. Cute.

Duh, I responding to an Apple troll!

[Blah @ Mar 23rd 2009 9:59AM]

Pot..kettle..black

Where did I praise the iPhone? In fact I mentioned Apple second so who is the troll here?

I give the Pre credit for forcing Apple to include MMS, tethering, and copy/paste but the phone is nowhere near launch and people are ready to give their first born for it.

I stated Palm will die a silent death, never praised one single device but at least they are proven and worthy of crowning as they are in fact on the market.

[Numus @ Mar 23rd 2009 10:49AM]

I take it you are posting market shares in reverse order since the real order of largest to smallest is symbian, BB, then apple and wm are really close together

[Zale @ Mar 23rd 2009 10:06AM]

WHAT!!!!

That's it, I am jumping off the roof.

; )

[Ed T @ Mar 23rd 2009 11:34AM]

Palm = fail

Apple acquires Palm in an all stock deal. Rubenstein goes back to his retirement casa in Mexico. EOF, lights out.

[thomas @ Mar 23rd 2009 11:54AM]

phew!
i almost hanged myself

[Jay Cee @ Mar 23rd 2009 12:04PM]

The article is wrong. I'm a Sprint employee. The Pre is on schedule for a June release. End of story.

[glamajamma @ Mar 23rd 2009 1:25PM]

June 29th? Thats the iPhone Anniversary.

[Logboy @ Mar 23rd 2009 1:21PM]

Yea so it will come out May 29th.