Think you'll have to wait until
June 6th for all the
Pre surprises to emerge? Think again. A breaking
Reuters report has just dropped one of the biggest cellular bombshells of the year:
Verizon Wireless, America's largest mobile operator, will soon be carrying Palm's Pre. Oh, that's not enough? No worries -- it'll also be selling a "new version of the touchscreen BlackBerry Storm," which is obviously the
Storm 2 that we've been toying around with. The report makes clear that both phones would be cleared for shipment in around six months, which certainly jibes with whispers we've heard about Sprint's
mighty short exclusivity period. The news came from the company's Lowell McAdam, the top executive for the venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone. To quote: "
Over the next six months or so you will see devices like Palm Pre and a second generation Storm." First Sprint, then
AT&T, and now Verizon? T-Mobile, where you at?
[Thanks, E]
Update: Seems Mr. McAdam continued on by noting that VZW would get the Palm Pre "
and a cousin." Hmm,
Eos, anyone?
Are you planning to switch to Sprint for the Pre?| I was, but now I'll just hold for the Verizon version. | 4741 (26.4%) |
|---|
| I was, but now I'll just hold for the AT&T version. | 1984 (11.0%) |
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| I'm still switching, I'm fed up with [insert carrier here]. | 1086 (6.0%) |
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| Switching? Sprint's already my BFF. | 2560 (14.3%) |
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| Pssh -- I'm not getting the Pre on any carrier. | 7592 (42.3%) |
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posted May 28th 2009 12:18PM
Yay!
bring on the Pre!
Yes, thank God, now Verizon can finally have a decent phone.
My Blackberry Storm makes me want to bash my head in a rusty pike daily.
Yay Pre! It's shiny and works without leaked software updates!
This news just made my day.
how do you know it works? you probably assumed the same about the Storm. look at you now.
The only drawback to this news are the people who are going to hold off on buying the Pre on June 6th because they now know the Pre is coming to Verizon, which is a better network. That's going to deaden the impact of the launch. That means, Apple will be given a chance to turn potential Pre buys to the iPhone, when it's released at WWDC a couple of days later.
The marketing guys at PALM really screwed up here. They should have waited until after WWDC to announce this. There are giving Apple a six month gap to take advantage of this news. This is why Apple never shows their hand until the very last minute.
I WANT A GSM VERSION ! ! !
Palm isn't controlling the press on on this. What do you expect them to say? "We don't want the #1 and #2 carriers in the US to sell our latest and great world changing phone?"
I'm not sure this will hit sales that much - supplies are limited thanks to the usual half-way execution by Sprint. They didn't want to pay Palm enough for a longer exclusive, didn't want to guarantee large volumes so get lots of units available at launch, didn't want to spend the money to market the heck out of it while exclusivity was still in place, etc... This is the reason that Sprint continues to bleed subs and squander the limited advantages it has, and is a tier 2 carrier and always will be.
If they had gotten the exclusive on the iPhone, they would have screwed that up too.
One thing is clear now though - unless Sprint cuts prices and such on plans that the Pre is supported under to get people to get the Pre and not wait once supplies are doing better, then I think they are really going to lose a lot of potential adds.
This is all good for Palm though. And since we really care a lot more about Palm and the Pre than Sprint, it's not that big a deal.
@ mike myers
well, sprint does offer cheaper plans for the same amount of service comparable to vzw and at&t. $60.00/mo for 450 mins, unlimited text, unlimited data.
the same on vzw (which i currently have)
$99.99 for 450 mins, unlimited text, unlimited data
before they had the above, where you can do ala carte
$39.99 for 450 mins
$44.99 for unlimited data
$10 for 500 texts, unlimited INnetwork
$15 for 1000
$20 for 5000
=========
$94 to $114/mo
with sprint i can save at least $30. if comparing service to service save $40
fortunately, in the san francisco bay area, where at&t, vzw and sprint are available and service quality is pretty much the same (minus data speed) i will choose to save some $$$. The PRE just gives me a reason to switch, as i've been waiting for a decent phone to come out (coming from a windows treo, blech)
The horse has spoken:
"On to the Q&A: When will there be a GSM version. Palm expects to have one at some point in the future. What about the Verizon deal, asks Walt, noting this morning’s Verizon story this morning. Rubinstein says he can’t comment. We do love Sprint and they are our exclusive launch partner,” Rubinstein said. “It sounds like AT&T and Verizon both want it.. I can’t comment on unannounced relationships.” He notes that BellMo will distribute the Pre in Canada."
http://d7.allthingsd.com/20090528/d7-interview-jon-rubinstein-and-roger-mcnamee-and-the-palm-pre/
Looks like these rumors of Verizon and ATT getting the Pre next are just that, rumors! Canada is next.
Sprint must be mighty angry this has come out. This effectively screws them over w/regards to exclusivity. What do they have that no one else does now?
Does this mean that we can expect the Pre to arrive on AT&T in six months also?
Probably not Chris, unless Palm is currently working on a GSM version of the Pre
Marc, there's been a GSM Pre since World Mobile Congress.
Yes, 6 to 9 months is common for exclusivity for phones in a market.
The TouchPro had about the same time frame before it went from Sprint to ATT.
The GSM issues is a non-issue. Both are being manufactured and any Pre sales in Europe are going to have to have GSM flavors.
Yes, like the above users have mention. That is the beauty of having AT&T or T-mobile. Whatever Sprint or Verizon dishes out, it will most likely be released in a GSM form factor. Outside of the US. GSM dominates.
woo hoo! now THAT'S something i'll be camping out for!
so long, POS Glyde!
sprint should have exclusivity for more time just like at& has for the iphone or verizon has for the storm
Um - no. The iPhone is a totally different animal. Consider it the Wii of phones when it comes to bringing non-smartphone users to the smartphone realm. AT&T is not going to be giving that up. Verizon's Storm exclusivity was great at first, but I doubt there are companies clawing at that phone once reviews started coming out.
Palm needs more help than sprint, so of course they want it to be available as much as possible. Apple wasn't in any trouble so they didn't really care if it was only available on one carrier.
No, exclusivity is total bullshit any way you cut it! It's a form of bundling and should be made illegal by the FTC!
Well that ought to make some people happy.
Get ready to live in the now
(6)8 Days, 14 hours, 36 minutes, 34 seconds!
Whoa, I forgot how many days were in a month... disregard :(
Countdown fail.
Cool countdown fail :P
Apple better be gettin' in on the Verizon action too... or there goes the #1 smartphone slot.
yayyyyy even tho my Contract will be expiring ANOTHER 6 months after it gets released
Its funny that people are excited because ATT and VZW would both require a new plan like for the iPhone. If they require this and if VZW and ATT didn't change their current rates, Sprint is still cheaper. Just an interesting point.
Agreed -- AT&T and VZW both abuse their market positions, both in price and lax customer service, and are thus the worst carriers. I wont consider the Pre (or any other phone) on any carrier other than T-Mobile or Sprint. I'm still mad at Sprint for the 5GB data maximum, so I would switch to T-Mobile if they got the Pre or a decent Android phone.
Crippled?
(burned Verizon Touch Pro Owner)
I am sure it will be, like every other verizon phone. Heres hoping it won't be.
Well its good that the Pre launched on Sprint first so if the big red V attempts to Gimp it when it shows up in their inventory, we will bare witness to their deliberate device lameness!!
Unfortunately the touch pro also launched first on Sprint and I complained to Verizon about their reduced specs, and they came back with something like, "Well the software that verizon puts on the phone is second to none, and that's where the real value is." I would have switched to sprint then, but work is covering the monthly cost on verizon only.
Can u explain to me how my Storm is "Crippled" on VZW? I just dont see it.
It the Strom was crippled by BB themselves. If you look at the Vodfone version you will the same crippledness. That why their are bring out the Storm 2 so quickly.
The notion of a branded webOS makes me shudder. It's enough to make me want to wait until an unlocked GSM version comes around. But it looks like Sprint didn't get much branding in the Pre, though.
Good news for Verizon. Bad news for Sprint, on all levels.
This is what Palm needs to do to survive. Sread your seed as fast and as far as possible. By not making it exclusive (Sorry Sprint) it gives Palm the ultimate amount of exposure around the globe. Go Palm, Go.
Yeah, Sprint is going down.
Good news for Palm and consumers.
Finally a good phone for verizon, f*ck my storm
That will actually leave me with a tough choice... Pre or Storm 2. Regardless, the fact that Verizon is leaving me with any choice at all amazes me. Now if they pull an LTE iPhone out of thin air, I'll be screwed by my own indecisiveness.
Dont worry, good 'ole TMO is probably just holed up somewhere working on yet another sidekick to push out to the teeny boppers.
That's all well and good Verizon, except I'm STILL waiting for a release date for the Tour.
Come on already
July.
I knew that.....I just meant it in the "make it official already!" sense
I am awaiting reviews but hoping the device lives up to the hype.
From a service area perspective, this is great. I have had Verizon service and in my areas where I go they are generally the best. I have an ATT Blackberry for work and not that happy with the serivce. I am going to try Tmobile (just bought a pre-paid), and am trying to figure out the best way to sample Sprint.
From a device perspective I am hoping the Pre lives up to the hype. I have tried WinMo and Android and while both are fun for tinkering, they are still rough around the edges (I could deal with it but my wife would be lost). I have an iPod Touch and while I hate all the way Apple try's to keep you in their ecosystem, it is hard to deny that it is a well designed combination of hardwear and software.
Wow
can you believe it . The Iphone 3.0,The Pre,The Storm..on all 3 major carriers now thats what I call the best news ever...Now T-mobile bring home the bacon :-D
I'll just wait till is avail in ATT