Palm Pre rumored to be dropping to $150 on September 8th
By Donald Melanson 
posted Sep 7th 2009 6:42PM
posted Sep 7th 2009 6:42PM
We've already seen the Palm Pre dip below its $199 list price during a few limited, occasionally inadvertent sales, but it looks like it could soon be dropping well under the $200 mark for a slightly longer period of time -- at least if a purportedly legit leaked document is to be believed. According to PreCentral, the doc comes from someone working at a Sprint "indirect partner retail dealer," and quite clearly indicates that "indirect partners" will be able to sell the Pre for $149.99 (after a mail-in rebate) between September 8th and October 31st, 2009. Presumably, Sprint itself would also be offering the Pre for the same price during that time and, if the HTC Hero's $179.99 price tag on Sprint is any indication, there seems to be at least a decent chance that the price drop could eventually become a permanent one. Either way, we won't have to wait too long to see how this one pans out.
Maybe it's time I buy one.
I doubt it's time to buy one. Still Sprint. Still $150. Still HTML5-based for native apps.
Maybe its because no one wants one and its barely selling.
@Quantumphysics: How is the weather on the iWorld, buddy?
One word quantumphysics: MULTITASKING
Maybe people realize iPhone with 65K apps is much better deal.
Levi, you mean the iPhone comes with 65K apps? Just like iLife is free? And Mac hardware is faster?
multitasking > 65k apps
They could give it away but it's still not an iPhone. Fail.
jacob @
Unfortunately for Pre users, the multitasker becomes useless when it needs to sync with PC/MAC and
the phone has to rely on Apple's iTunes software. :)
Multi-tasking would be a bigger selling point on the Pre if the whole OS didn't crawl to a standstill when you have more than 2 or 3 cards open. Honestly its usually just quicker to close stuff and re-open it when you need it. IM in the background is nice but it's a battery killer.
I'd love to buy a Palm Pre if I could use it at the same time as my iPhone and really evaluate which one is best in normal operation. If I had to make a choice between one or the other, I'd have to stick with iPhone (as most buyers have agreed). Boneheaded statements like "multitasking > 65 k apps" should also note that Pre benefits less from jailbreaking than iPhone does (as the multitasking exists, its just not allowed for non-Apple applications, unless you're jailbroken).
Palm started off the Pre by stating they felt entitled to charge more because their product "does more" than the iPhone did at the time. With Apple's widely anticipated June '09 announcement, that became embarrassingly untrue (with the $99 iPhone 3G their reference point was now hundreds less). $150 would make it more interesting, but being a mail-in rebate is still crappy for customers to wade through.
Already the pricing problem between the iPod Touch and the Palm TX/Palm OS PDA's is ridiculous. $220 /w WiFi/Bluetooth and 8GB vs what? $350 /w WiFi/Bluetooth and 128MB? Bottomline is, Palm needs to figure out how to compete much better than its currently doing. It's simply not working.
Holy shit, I didn't know Sprint fanboys existed.
Price Drop = Low Demand = Excess Supply = Desperation.
Use your own judgment, but the some say short Palm now at $14+ and make $14+ per share within a year. $10k shorted may turn into $140k. Yummy.
"Multi-tasking would be a bigger selling point on the Pre if the whole OS didn't crawl to a standstill when you have more than 2 or 3 cards open."
I have 7 cards open right now and its doing fine for me.
You running iTunes on there?
@ Alan
That is some of the worst stock advice ever.
Please short so the stock can get sqeezed higher.
150 + contract. Could we have the real price, with contract cost.
These prices are like buying a house and only quoting down payment as the price, its ridiculous.
iPhone to Pre migration engaged
@Keith
You don't have to rely on iTunes, that's just there as a convenience for people who actually want to use that software. For those of us who use competent software, it also functions as a mass storage device.
@Newone
Sprint contracts have already had a huge advantage over AT&T's, or anyone's really, except T-Mobile comes somewhat close. It's just the initial cost that was a little higher, but considering the $$$$ you save long term... this is just icing on the cake.
Yet more bullcrap from the comment rankers. Again, Engadget, I ask why do you give the trolls this tool for them to abuse? The comment rankings never reflect the quality or worth of the content of the comment.
Anything that is slightly pro-Apple or anti-Pre gets low or lowest ranked, despite many of them being completely true statements. Anything pro-Pre gets high ranked, and why don't you take a look at those high ranked comments and see if they are particularly worthy or notable?
You are making this a fascist website - one opinion rules and you do not accept that other opinions exist. You even fade them out, hide them, and now it looks like all Engadget readers are of one mind and one faith and we all hate Apple and think the Pre is so much better. Ugh.
Is that what you wanted? To provide the trolls a tool with which to punish anyone who dares have a different opinion, who likes a different device, who doesn't worship the feature du jour?
The comment rankings are NOT being used to hide away rude, false, trolling or objectionable comments. They ARE being used to make the conversation completely one-sided, and to make it appear as though everyone who matters has the same opinion.
Get rid of them, please!
Palm Pre = Loser Phone. Poor build quality. Crappy OS. Weak graphics. And people point and laugh at you on the street if they see you with one. But hey, you can "multitask" 10 horrible apps that nobody wants at once!!!!!!
Palm, next stop, bankruptcy court. Where they should have been 7 years ago.
If you like Sprint, why not wait until they release an Android phone in October? Why buy now, when you can wait another month and have more diverse choices?
Open Source FTW.
WHAT about the HTC Touch Pro 2!??? Lower the price. Sprint is acting like they are being forced to sell it.
OMG iPhone killer!
/sarcasm
The iPhone killer is getting killed every quarter. Palm has yet to made 1 penny of profit in
the past 12 months.
So...I bought one on the 3rd...can I got in and get some money refunded to me or what?
Ahaha, gotta love that feeling. Funny when it's someone else, sucks when it's you.
Linda like what happened with the overhyped instinct as well.
*Kinda
Gotta love autocorrect on the iPhone. :)
Leave her out of this.
iPhones prices fell much more than this at least here in Europe.
I also noticed that the price I could get for my perfect HTC touchHD went down about 150 euros in the last month.
Luckily I managed to exchange my disappointing iPhone3GS with a great HTC Hero.
I'm sure is the effect of everyone waiting for the Nokia N900 and HTC Leo next month (which is also why I'm trying to download the HTC touchHD and the Nokia N97, I'm gonna keep the Hero though, no matter what.
They'll have to pry it out of my hands.
I got it more out of curiosity than anything else because I did'ny know what to get in exchange of the disappointing iPhone 3gs (I already had the N97 and the TouchHD) but it has quickly become my favorite phone and now is the only one I feel I really need.
Instinct was a cool phone. It did a lot of things right and sold a lot. Throw some disses if you want, but it was a success.
@ pennyfan87 :: actually, sometimes the autocorrect is a pain. i hate telling my friend something on his computer is ducked up or telling someone to go to he'll.
@ Jake E rather.. sorry about that. i read pennyfan's comment and the username stuck in my head. looks like i ducked up.
Still $50 more than the same capacity iPhone? I imagine Sprint is subsidizing the hardware less than AT&T which would make sense based on monthly rate plan difference. Unfortunately consumers have spoken -- they prefer a lower up front cost even if they spend more in the long run. That's how the whole US mobile industry works. I feel like if a handset maker can't compete on the best subsidized costs they should really focus on beating Apple/AT&T on carrier choice which Palm also isn't doing. They're also not competing on storage at the higher end. The 8GB Pre at $150 would cost Palm only slightly less to make than a 16GB at $200 or 32GB at $300. Palm isn't understanding this whole economy of scale thing. Flash is cheap -- artificial price points are big profit. If they were making more money on the 16GB model they could afford to let the 8GB go for $99 perhaps and compete with the iPhone toe-to-toe.
Apple gets a cut off the monthly bill, Palm does not.
@DR
Says Who?! hahahaa
Still too expensive.
For a cheese grater :T
how is it too expensive? Unsubsidized is too expensive. But come on, you can do just as much with these things as any netbook pretty much, so why wouldyou say a hundred and fifty bucks is too much? $300 with a 2-year contract for a Blackberry is too expensive, not $150.
It's like people citing how much extra it would cost to own an iPhone when it first came out, as if it were a negative. You're paying for unlimited internet, of course it's going to cost extra! Not even to mention the initial $20/mo was the cheapest unlimited data plan at the time on pretty much ANY carrier for a smartphone.
$150 isn't too expensive for a good spartphone, unless you just don't want one at all, and then you are just being an ass.
I hope when the Pre comes to verizon they have the Pre2 or something :)
Exactly, I am def. not a fan of Sprint, the Pre is awesome, but its still Sprint...
Long overdue. I was expecting the price cut to happen right after Apple announced the $99 iPhone 3G. One really has to question Palm's viability. Palm needs to act fast, yesterday. Where are the GSM Pre/WebOS phones? Palm, the longer you wait, the more painful it is when the slew of Android phones trample all over you.
Exactly. Palm needs to get off their butts and release the GSM version, start pushing more frequent updates, and find somebody to do some apps for crying out loud - how many do they have so far, 50 or something?
With iPhone still doing very well, and the multitude of Android devices coming out, they're gonna be completely forgotten if they don't do something. Price cut is a good start, but they have to go further than that.
Makes sense.
Although WebOs is Great, the phone itself isnt all that. People will notice that when they see the Touch Pro 2's massive Keyboard and larger screen and the lower price point of the HERO w/ Android, Sense UI and the 5MP camera. Not to mention the Instinct Q if thats out in October.
Im assuming Sprint has other Palm handsets in the oven for the holidays (such as the Eos). $150 is a fair price for the Pre (WebOs) and $180 for the Hero (Android) They could easily make them both $199 but that just means dont be surprised when later models cost $199-$249.
I have a sprint BB Tour, its awesome but I'm thinking of getting ATT and the iPhone. I figure every one looks for the next iPhone killer, well that's for a reason, either because they cant afford one, they know its the best, they are cheese dicks or they just like donkey dick, any way,
iPhone, from sprint to ATT whatd ya think ya'll
Not only will you miss the useability of your Tour, youre also gonna miss the price of any plan you would have on Sprint that youll get with AT&T.
The IPhone is pretty with its bright colors and scrolling icons. But People carry Blackberry Tours & Curves for a reason. The IPhone sells because its a simple phone that even Great Granma can use and the useless apps that you pay for. Its a touchscreen Phone...NEVER will it be a smartphone. AT&T would be ass out without the IPhone. Sprint, Verizon & T-Mo get by just fine without it.
there is a simple answer to your question: if you really like browsing the web on the go, you CANNOT BEAT the iPhone and it's safari browser, unless you get the 2G or 3G. The 3GS has the best web browsing experience right now hands down. However, the Pre is a close second, so if you are on Sprint, maybe you should consider it. f web browsing isn't your number 1 feature, then it probably won't be any better for you than your BB. The Tour looks sweet. But the 3GS (actually any of the iphones) are still a better web browsing experience than the BB.
Safari is the biggest reason I don't want to give my iPhone up yet. That and I don't want to take a hit with an ETF. Another decently sized reason I don't want to get rid of it yet is simply becuse of the support. iPhone fanboys cite the bajillion apps as a selling point, and iPhone haters put it down because 99% of those apps suck. However, bigger companies don't just avoid something like this. Case in point, you can get things like an eBay app, Facebook app, MySpace app, Twitter app, even an app that lets you browse your AT&T account and pay your bills without browsing through the internet. I really hope Android and WebOS's marketplaces get this kind of widespread support in the near future, because I kinda want to give the Pre a shot.
In short, go with the 3GS if web browsing is most important to you. Otherwise, I would suggest sticking with your Tour, getting a Pre, or even waiting it out for a nicer Android set.
-1 to Miguel for trolling.
Good I need a new phone and don't want to be an idiot with an iPhone paying 1000 dollars a year for service.
You are an idiot for stating that iPhone users are paying $1000 a year for service.
Go ahead and pay $150 for Pre with Sprint network which is what the REAL idiot do. :)
I hope iPhone OS 4.0 comes with grammar autocorrect.
really? Because Sprint's everything plan will run you more than $1000/year...
Problem is the horrible sprint network has lack of coverage. The phone could be $20.00 and i could not switch
Sprint's network has been doing great lately... That excuse is more viable if we were talking about two years ago.
Meanwhile all you ever hear about is dropped calls and crappy 3G on AT&T's network.
Hell, I drove from Milwaukee to Minneapolis this weekend and had 3G coverage on my Pre the whole way. You can't do that with AT&T.
People giving anecdotal accounts of their coverage need to realize that everyone will continue to have different experiences. My wife just switched from Sprint, and happily receives better coverage on AT&T here in Boston (one reason being her job boosts the performance of their preferred carrier which is now AT&T). As Palm puts WebOS in more carriers and Apple weighs the same move for next year, I think things will become harder and harder to compare. It's pretty clear Apple has gotten its costs down so that it really doesn't NEED much subsidy, whereas Palm can't even get competitive prices WITH a subsidy. I think by Fall 2010, we'll have to admit to Apple's clear lead in establishing their platform. If they opened the gate on 3rd party multitasking (even just a crack, as we've heard they might), we'll experience a very lopsided competition.
I went to Yosemite park and my ATT phone got plenty signal in the park. But my buddy with
Sprint got out of service. That's when I know Sprint sucks!
To be honest, I've had Sprint for 2 years and my Pre for a month and the coverage has been pretty darn good. My buddy and I recently went camping in Southwestern WI and I had a signal and his IPhone didn't. Of course, your results may vary.
I went to the Bay area with my co workers and they had to borrow my phone several times because they kept getting dropped calls left and right. That's how I know At&t sucks and overpriced. You must be a real sucka to pay those ridiculous rates to At&t.
Why does someone always have to bring up the iPhone in unrelated articles? It's like people are trying to justify their huge phone bill.
I can see the iPhone draw, but it's hardly a perfect device. You're tied to iTunes (which really sucks). It can't multitask which doesn't bother some, but it's a huge deal for me. I pay less than half per month with a Sprint plan than I would with an AT&T iPhone plan. I'm saving close to $800 per year. Plus I don't need 65k apps. I only need a few specific ones, and most of them already exist (Bank of America, Pandora, OpenTable, Fandango, etc.)
The iPhone was certainly revolutionary when it came out. It has a lot of market share. It would be foolish to think that Android, WebOS, WinMo, and Blackberry will ever unseat it. However, that's a market thing. It doesn't mean there aren't other really great devices out there. Who ever said there can only be one GOOD device and the rest must suck? I think the iPhone is nice. I also don't think there's a way to justify the cost, but that's just me.
I had a WinMo device before, and I was happy with it. I now have a Palm Pre, and I'm happy with it, too. Would I like an iPhone? Probably. Could I like it enough to justify the price. The chances are very slim. Of course, that's jus one person's opnion, and there are plenty that disagree.
iPhone vs BBTour vs new HTC Touch-Pro 2
Which is all round best!
I have the BBTour, but am going to give it to my Daughter in Nov 09, my upgrade is then, should I get the Touch Pro 2 over the change to ATT iPhone and will I be able to upgrade to WinMo 7 with th TP2. Is winMo any good OS, I've always used palm OS.
Thanks
Yay
Am I right?
You are right.
I work for an indirect retailer, and if true, then we don't know about this yet. I am calling shanannagins. Would be fun, though.
Still sticking with the Hero because I don't have to upgrade to a SEP.
Says who?
Says the SERO account manager I called. Per a meeting with their superiors, the Hero will not require a plan change.
sorry to burst your bubble, but the hero will also require one of the everything plans, just like the pre. not necessarily a bad thing, unless your trying to keep your sero :/
@george
I'd like to know where you confirmed it because I was told by a SERO/ERP manager that I would not have to upgrade. It was also noted in my account.
The wording in the press release does not support your statement either.
You know how this works man. The story changes depending on who you talk to when you call. They may honor what the guy said to you but if they are trying to move people off SERO it wouldn't make sense to allow the Hero to work on it. Even the over priced TP2 has had different reports of some people getting it on SERO and others being denied.
Nobody's buying this thing, and they're getting desperate.
Show me proof.
Please, make a GSM Palm Pre with the ATT 3G frequencies. I will buy a Pre if that happens.
I switched to Sprint for a week when the Pre came out. I got zero coverage whatsoever, even though my house is listed in a full green voice and data coverage area on the Sprint coverage map.
Troubleshooting with the Sprint customer service concluded that the coverage map is wrong. Device is fine, tried different band settings, roaming, etc., all to no avail. Sprint just doesn't work in my house. I would be using a Palm Pre right now (to type this message, in fact), if Sprint worked for me.
Someone make an unlocked GSM version with ATT 3G please =(.
I heard a lot of people got free Airwave's for their house if they complained about coverage. Did they offer you one?
I got a free airave and coverage for two years because my house barely got one bar of signal.
I walk outside and get 3 bars though so it's clearly a problem with the signal getting through the insulation.
Yes, I got a free Airave from Sprint. It didn't help because my broadband is satellite internet and the latency is far too high to send or receive voice data clearly. Couldn't understand a word of anyone with the Airave (not Sprint's fault, but I can't help that no one offers Cable broadband where I live).
Tis a shame. I'd love to stay with Sprint as their prices are unbeatable for what they offer.
Had a Pre for 4 weeks and returned it for a 3GS. No comparison. The iPhone is better in just about every way. I really liked some things about WebOS, but it's clear it was released about 6 months too early. iPhone is a lot faster, has apps that are actually useful, AT&T coverage is loads better, and my big hands can type on the iPhone keyboard way faster than the useless tiny Pre one. Picture browsing the web in landscape mode, having to slide out the keyboard and turn the phone 90 degrees to type something in the browser, then sliding the keyboard closed and rotating the phone again. Just some of the wonderful usability Palm included with the Pre. lol, so glad that piece of junk is gone.
LOL @ anyone that buys this load of garbage you just posted
@ htowngator
LOL at your garbage of a comment. Nathan is right.
Tempting
I'm sorry Pre. I really wanted to give you a chance when I make the jump to Sprint but your stuff is still in you know, beta, and well Android is getting Donut soon and has over 10,000 apps so I'll be buying an HTC Hero. Hopefully Palm will have learned by next time that you don't launch a great device without a great app store.
Problem is, it is becoming very unlikely that there will be a next time for Palm, at least in the form it exists today.
I like the Pre, it is a damn good phone, it's just that the keyboard is s*** and the screen way too small for my tastes.
Still not in in UK, damn O2 waiting for Christmas (4 months away ffs). This phone is already becoming prehistoric in US forgot safe.
now drop the data plan requirement and its mine
wow so much iPhone vs Pre hate. The market is big enough for both of them, if any phone is in trouble it's WinMo
WinMo is pretty much on its way to the grave, 7.0 or not.
Not only will you miss the useability of your Tour, youre also gonna miss the price of any plan you would have on Sprint that youll get with AT&T.
The IPhone is pretty with its bright colors and scrolling icons. But People carry Blackberry Tours & Curves for a reason. The IPhone sells because its a simple phone that even Great Granma can use and the useless apps that you pay for. Its a touchscreen Phone...NEVER will it be a smartphone. AT&T would be ass out without the IPhone. Sprint, Verizon & T-Mo get by just fine without it.
TP2 vs iPhone
http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/compare-mobile-phones/HTC--Touch-Pro2-Apple-iPhone-3GS-3404_3367
MIGUEL,
What about the HTC Touch-Pro 2 over the BB Tour and sticking with Sprint, my daughter wants my BB Tour.
TP2 vs iPhone
http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/compare-mobile-phones/HTC--Touch-Pro2-Apple-iPhone-3GS-3404_3367
You have plenty of options. Me personally, i chose the TP2 over the TOUR simply because i want both Touchscreen AND a Qwerty keyboard. I love the Blackberry feel and i can get used to the OS but i cant give up havin a Touchscreen (Thats just my opinion tho) . No Keyboard is the ONLY reason i wont get the HERO.
You can hold on to your Tour if you want. In Fact, if your Daughter can wait a lil bit, the New Blackberry Curve is Out Nov 1st Otherwise get her a Tour for herself. Aside from that, Theres the Pre, Touch Pro 2, Hero (Oct 11), As Well As the Instinct Q (Oct 11th). WebOs, Android, and WinMo(6.5 in Oct) to chose from. Thats plenty to make you forget about an IPhone.
You and your Daughter wont be able to Split 1500 Mins W/ Unlimited Data & Messaging for $129 with At&t.
treo pro is more expensive than the pre according to that
i this going to be the release of the long-rumored AT&T Pre?
Probably not, I know. Stupid ETF's. I can only wait around so long, you know. The 3GS is my best option right now, I won't even consider anything else because I refuse to hand over that much cash to hop from carrier to carrier. I work hard for my money and they take enough of it already >:0
I'd like to try a Pre thouhg. For more than just the 4 minutes I was able to toy with one at Best Buy.
love it
Which does T Mobile users dick worth of good. But hey. At least we got the underpowered G1....right? right?.......right.
I'm approaching a year with my G1. While the software has become substantially better, its obvious that the RAM, and processor and frankly the screen size are too damn small. The G1 was originally the prototype for Android. And even with the software updates it still feels that way. I need a real keyboard on my phone and I would kill for a Pre right now on TMobile.
well, considering I was planning on buying my Pre tomorrow, I guess I'll be able to find out if its true or not! To think, if I would've paid $50 more if I would've went today like originally planned. fate I tell you, fate......
Yawn. Cheap plastic junky hardware. Nice OS but too little too late.
I like it's great, that the Pre is getting more & more developers thinking & coding in web langagues (HTML5, JavaScript, CSS).
Hopefully, all smartphone SDKs will evolve to be BONDI-based, like LiMo (http://bondisdk.limofoundation.org/). This will make it EXTREMELY easy for developers to create cross-platform web apps that are functionally equivalent to local apps.
How about O3D support, on all smartphones? I don't know if/when that will happen, but it would be awesome!
Check out what Disney/ABC is doing with O3D:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0tzZiTXEB8
Check out Large Animal's Infinite Journey O3D game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAgug5D6Kdg
Hmm, Palm wedging the Pre's price point right between the iPhone 3G and the 3GS, I think it's a clever idea. At the same time it suggests that the Pre may not be able to compete with the 3GS at the same price point. On the other hand, Barron's says sales are healthy and growing and that Palm is to eventually deliver the Pre to more US carriers. So the price drop may be a move to competitively accelerate adoption and establish a good user base. But other platforms are growing as well.
http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2009/06/30/palm-pre-sales-topped-300000-in-june-analyst-says/
Android in particular is growing quickly. HTC, maker of 80% of all WinMo phones, is shrinking production of such handsets to 50% in order to make the other 50% Android phones. Other manufactures are following lead, shrinking WinMo inventory and adopting Android in greater numbers.
Lastly, the iPhone is already outselling every WinMo phone made out there and is by far the fastest growing platform out of all the major makers. World-wide Apple is now the 3rd largest, just behind Nokia (#1) and RIM (#2). In contrast, WinMo has gone from a near 24% market share to hardly 9% as Microsoft sits thumb-fiddling while everyone else eats their lunch. Same story for Nokia but at least they are actively trying to stay competitive by transitioning Symbian for Maemo as their smartphone platform of choice.
Out of the big 5, WinMo will be the 1st one to eat the dust, leaving the other 4 to duck it out. It's going to be interesting.