AT&T expects to sell Palm Pre when Sprint's exclusivity ends

We've heard in the past that the Palm Pre would be available at other carriers "next year" sometime after Sprint's exclusivity period is up, and now we have a vague verbal confirmation from AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson that he "sees" AT&T grabbing hold of the Pre once it's available. The remarks were made today at the D7 conference. If this pans out, it fits with rumblings we've heard of the Eos being AT&T's low-end, Centro-style webOS device, with the Pre snapping up the higher end.

[Via Phone Scoop; image courtesy of PreCentral.net]

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 3:32PM]

So is that a comparison chart, or just a chart that blatently says the creator favors the iPhone? Where in that chart did they forget to put "Not an iPhone" under the pre-side?

Apple fans always get weird (as if they aren't already) when they see a better product on the horizon. It's happening with pre, the zune HD, and most significantly with Windows 7.

[pukerocket Posted May 27th 2009 3:52PM]

I guess you missed the Sprint comparison chart that favoured the Pre? Douche

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 3:34PM]

screw the pre.... i want the N97

[Bublik25 Posted May 27th 2009 3:33PM]

bla bla bla iphone wins.... fuck apple stick it up your....

[Dan57 Posted May 27th 2009 3:41PM]

i know this is old but notice how they fail to mention the PRE having free built in turn by turn navigation.

Engadget: Why dont you guys make a REAL comparison chart and post it instead of this crap. But we all know how much you guys all love apple...so would it really be truthful?

[wingedLegionary Posted May 27th 2009 3:57PM]

That chart was made by AT&T, the network provider of the iPhone, obviously it's going to be biased.

I just find it hilarious how it has 'Touchscreen control gestures not intuitive'. Aren't they pretty much the same as the iPhone, just with the added gesture area at the bottom, which imo, looks like it could be pretty intuitive.

[wingedLegionary Posted May 27th 2009 3:59PM]

Just realised you weren't trying to insinuate that Engadget had made this chart, my apologies!

[tpgorrell Posted May 27th 2009 3:44PM]

This iPhone/Pre bashing is really getting old. Why can't we have decent conversations about gadgets/tech that were excited about. I'm an iPhone user and I'm happy with it but I'm excited to check this out because its doing something different that is only going to push the competition i.e. the iPhone.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 7:06PM]

not everyone can be as well behaved as you are! we all try to talk up our fav devices by beatin down the others, not a decent way!

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 3:46PM]

No Mention of Copy/Paste? Also I don't plan on leaving the country anytime soon so I won't need a World capable phone. Also drag and drop capable >>>>>>>> Sync Capable. I already have the Music I want onmy phone in a single folder already split into sub-folders. I can take this folder from my current phone or desktop and drag them right over to the Pre. No need to open a program to do it. No need to click buttons to sync it. If you are going to knock the Drag and Drop method then you had better include Copy/Paste.

[air on Posted May 27th 2009 3:47PM]

This is awesome. My indifference towards the Pre is suddenly replaced with excitement!

... still getting next gen iphone. I ain't waiting a year for a pre!

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 7:08PM]

hey isnt this 2009;)

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 3:49PM]

looks like att is trying double time to screw up sprints sales of the pre when it comes out. by saying basically "just wait we are going to get it too"

[Seven2k Posted May 27th 2009 4:16PM]

OK

True Apple fan boys love the Pre. Why? The staff are mostly former Apple people. Example you have to love the Xbox260 why.....G4 processor. We should be proud that the Pre is coming out. Dont get mad cause Jon Rubenstein invented it at Palm. This is the true iPhone. I am happy that the Pre is coming out. Apple business ethic is spreading. I hated the days where the MS ethic was strong. This thing works on both MAC and PC!!!


COME ON FAN BOYS BE HAPPY FOR US! God bless Jon Rubenstein. He did good. Steve would be proud. Thats the true Apple way.

[Michael Scrip Posted May 27th 2009 4:12PM]

I wonder how much those ex-Apple employees are making at Palm now.

We know Apple makes a lot of money... but some people predict that Palm is on the brink of bankruptcy *unless* the Pre sells well. But can one phone save Palm?

[Seven2k Posted May 27th 2009 4:17PM]

The iPod saved Apple.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 4:39PM]

Seven2k - Uh, no. The iPod did not "save" Apple.

[Seven2k Posted May 27th 2009 5:12PM]

REally!! Plz do tell. iPod is the #1 selling product. It wasnt computers or software! Working for the fruit company and holding stock plz tell me where most of money comes from. Last time I check the market share wasnt 50/50.

[joshsc Posted May 27th 2009 4:08PM]

This is a "Sell Against" chart. It doesn't mean that ATT will be selling it. Companies use charts like this all the time so that sale reps have material to use to go up against their competitors.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 4:11PM]

the person who made this decision probably sold palm stocks and - or - bought apple stocks.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 4:20PM]

the day att carries iPhone n palm pre
That will be the beginning of the end for verizon tmobil n sprint.
Insane iPhone n pre on the fastest American carrier..
Now that would be sick dude!!!!
Agree???

[Dorf Posted May 27th 2009 4:40PM]

Hello, my name is Guru and I travel into every post and must use the word sick, insane, or agree at least once while spouting the same junk each time.

As long as the iPhone is on the carrier with one of the smallest 3G footprints in the country, I'll pass. I'm glad you like your phone, but you don't have to defend the horrid network it is on, do you?

You're a douche...
Agree???

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 4:34PM]

true it won't be good for all the other carriers because of all of the phones that at&t is getting also I thought that palm would play the whole exclusive deal for a while like the iphone

[nohumanape Posted May 27th 2009 4:35PM]

Could this mean that AT&T didn't get renewed iPhone exclusivity in 2010?

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 5:45PM]

Enough with all this bickering about Pre vs Iphone! You guys bash one over the other when most haven't tried the other.

I am on a SERO plan with Sprint. My contract is up and I'm decided what to do. I want a new phone however I'm not willing to more than double my plan for a Pre. If I did that, I might as well get an Iphone which has so much more software available.

Some comments:
Customer Service - They are all good until you actually need them, then customer service is bad no matter who it is!
Quality of Service - This is all variable. Most carriers are comparable now. They all have roaming agreements to extend their network. It highly depends on where you live. Use both and see which works for you. There's no universal answer here.
Plan Prices - You all are comparing info that is not relevant to a regular user. Yes, Sprint has some better plans. However, it depends on what you need. Not everyone needs thousands upon thousands of minutes.

I just need minimal minutes with a data plan so the prices for ATT & Sprint would be comparable. Iphone has an edge right now because they have the most Apps available. You can't do nothing with a great hardware if there's no software for it! I'm also considering Android phone. I guess I'll wait for the Pre and the "new" Iphone to come out before I make a decision.

Another thing... After traveling oversees, I am not very fond of Sprint and Verizon. Can't everyone just get along and use the world wide GSM standard?! I would love to be able to carry my phone to a new carrier.

[IRJ Posted May 27th 2009 5:58PM]

Both Sprint and Verizon sell phones with dual cdma and gsm capability.

[akarol Posted May 27th 2009 6:25PM]

I wonder if they'll keep this comparison chart when the Pre becomes available on AT&T. My gut-feeling says NO.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 6:48PM]

One point that hasn't been made here is that Sprint has a working deployed femtocell setup, while AT&T is still lagging in that area. (and as someone who has a weak AT&T signal at home, I've been waiting and waiting (and waiting) for them to release a femtocell setup.)

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 7:42PM]

Huh... I like comparison sheets.