Official: Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus for AT&T 'in the coming months'

Yes folks, it's finally really happened. Today Palm announced that its dynamic duo -- the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus -- will be making their way to AT&T's network "in the coming months." We won't bore you with too many details on the devices, since you can read our review of the non-Plus Sprint variations here and here, and the Verizon versions right here. What we will tell you is that at an undisclosed time, the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus can be yours for just $149.99 and a deep-discount $49.99 (with a $100 mail-in rebate and two-year contract), respectively. The Pre Plus will be similarly equipped to its Verizon counterpart (16GB of storage, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1), and the Pixi should look awfully familiar as well (8GB storage, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1), though AT&T will be offering a variation with a blue back plate (in addition to the standard black and other swappable covers). Both UMTS / HSDPA devices will support AT&T's new Address Book service as a Synergy sync option, and will have free auto-connect access to the carrier's WiFi +20,000 hotspots. We don't know when we'll get our hands on these guys, but Palm will be showing off the AT&T-ified versions of the handsets at the upcoming CTIA... which we will of course be attending. It should be interesting to see if hopping on AT&T's network will move the needle for Palm, let's just hope those "coming months" are, you know... pretty soon. Full PR and one more pic after the break.

Show full PR text

Palm webOS Smartphones to be Available for AT&T Customers

Palm to Showcase Pre Plus and Pixi Plus at CTIA Wireless

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 22, 2010 – AT&T's 80 million customers will soon have a new choice for staying connected in their fast-paced lives -- the Palm® webOS™ platform. Palm, Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) today announced that the Palm Pre™ Plus and Palm Pixi™ Plus phones will be available on the nation's fastest 3G network for $149.99 and $49.99, respectively, with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate.

"AT&T and Palm have a history of smartphone leadership, and today's announcement is a significant milestone for us," said Jon Rubinstein, Palm chairman and chief executive officer. "With Palm webOS phones coming to AT&T, Palm can help most anyone in the United States stay connected so they never miss a thing."

Pre Plus and Pixi Plus will be featured in Palm's booth (No. 7053) at CTIA Wireless, which runs March 23-25 in Las Vegas.

With a slider keyboard, a larger touchscreen and a high-performance processor, Pre Plus is Palm's full-featured Palm webOS phone. It's designed for people who want an easy-to-use phone with advanced features to help manage the different aspects of their lives, both personal and professional. The keyboard makes for quick and easy typing, while the unique gesture area provides a sleek look and intuitive navigation. Customers also get 16GB(1) of storage (~15GB user available) for applications and media. Pre Plus comes with the Palm Touchstone™ Back Cover, so it's compatible out of the box with the revolutionary inductive Touchstone Charging Dock (sold separately).

As Palm's thinnest phone to date, Pixi Plus fits easily in your hand or pocket and offers a host of powerful features, including Wi-Fi. It's great for social communicators and first-time smartphone buyers who want an affordable and customizable phone with a full QWERTY keyboard instantly accessible for messaging and web content. Available in the original black as well as a new blue exclusive to AT&T, Pixi Plus is designed to let you express yourself. With the color Palm Pixi Touchstone Back Covers and the Palm Pixi Artist Series Back Covers (www.palm.com/artistseries), which are compatible with the Touchstone Charging Dock, you can easily switch covers to suit your mood and style (all sold separately at www.palm.com/store).

"We're offering our customers even greater choice by adding Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus to the nation's best smartphone portfolio," said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "Palm webOS plus included access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi network and the ability to talk and surf the web at the same time is a powerful combination."

Pre Plus and Pixi Plus showcase the defining features of Palm webOS, including the ability to run multiple applications simultaneously and easily move between them; the power of Palm Synergy™, which brings customers' information from the many places it resides into a single, more comprehensive view; unobtrusive notifications; and universal search.(2) Palm webOS also has a unique model of over-the-air software updates that delivers new features and performance improvements directly to a user's phone. Past updates have included support for 3D games and video recording allowing webOS customers to use their phones in fun, new ways.

A significant advantage of Palm webOS applications is that they can be integrated into the core webOS functionalities, such as linked contacts, layered calendars, notifications and GPS, providing a rich catalog of innovative and unique offerings for Palm webOS users. The growing Palm App Catalog offers some of the best apps in the market – such as Pandora, Fandango, and rich 3D games like "Need for Speed™ Undercover" and "Guitar Hero" – unique in their high integration with the webOS device. Currently there are more than 2,000 applications for download.

Pre Plus and Pixi Plus feature Wi-Fi connectivity, and AT&T customers with these devices will receive AT&T Wi-Fi access at U.S. hotspots included as part of their unlimited data plan. The phones transparently connect to Wi-Fi when in range of an AT&T hotspot, providing customers with fast and seamless access to music, email, video and the web. AT&T has the nation's largest Wi-Fi network with more than 20,000 U.S. hotspots.

Pre Plus and Pixi Plus also support a variety of AT&T services, including AT&T Navigator for audible turn-by-turn navigation (subscription required), AT&T Address Book to easily synchronize online contacts to your phone, and YPMobile to quickly find local businesses. They also include the following features and specifications. (NOTE: A complete list of features and specifications for each phone is available at www.att.com/WebOS or www.palm.com/PrePlus and www.palm.com/PixiPlus.)

· Palm Synergy™, a key feature of Palm webOS that brings your information from all the places it resides – including Outlook(3), Google, Facebook, Yahoo! and LinkedIn – into one logical view that links your contacts and calendars, so accessing them is easier than ever

· The ability to run multiple applications simultaneously and easily move between them

· Unobtrusive notifications

· Universal search

· Over-the-air software updates delivered directly to a user's phone

· High-quality applications from the Palm App Catalog

· High-speed connectivity

· Gesture area, which enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation

· Full QWERTY keyboard

· High-performance, desktop-class web browser

· Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g

· Integrated GPS(4)

· Robust messaging support (combining IM, SMS and MMS capabilities)

· Multimedia options, including music, photos, video recording and playback, a camera with LED flash and a standard 3.5mm headset jack

· Email, including EAS (for access to corporate Microsoft Exchange servers) and personal email support (Google Gmail push, Yahoo!, POP3, IMAP)

· Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support

· USB mass storage mode

· Charger/microUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed

· Proximity sensor, which automatically disables the touchscreen and turns off the display whenever you put the phone up to your ear

· Light sensor, which reduces power usage by dimming the display if the ambient light is dark

· Accelerometer, which automatically orients web pages and photos to your perspective

· Ringer switch, which easily silences the device with one touch

· Removable, rechargeable battery

· Band/modes:

o UMTS bands/HSDPA 3.6: 850/1900

o Quad band GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900

o GSM/GPRS/EDGE Class 10

Availability and Pricing

Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus will be available in AT&T stores and online at www.wireless.att.com in the coming months for $149.99 and $49.99, respectively, with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. More information is available at www.att.com/webOS.

[Mjmar17 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 3:17PM]

I really want a pre... At first it was impossible because I have an iPhone on AT&T, but if when my contract is up the pre is on AT&T I will strongly consider it.

[jmgNX21 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 3:44PM]

I will probably purchase it.
Though I wish an unlocked version were available (but I have plenty of unlocked phones for when I travel)... but I would be concerned that my data plan would be changed to a PDA data plan (ala Nexus 1 reports on HoFo)...

Demand is marketing and PALM has been hurting in that regard... (including the STUPID Sprint/Verizon ads... unbelievable)

[Brother Unit No 4 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 3:49PM]

Palm needs a better marketing group to get the word out there about their devices.

[bleep Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:04PM]

I will be looking pretty hard at this as an upgrade for my current blackberry 8820 which is currently month to month. If I can get this at 200 dollars on a one year contract I'm all in.

[mkvl buy some vowels Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:15PM]

I'd buy one, if it happened to be an agave plant, then make myself some tequila, in time for the next palm phone iteration.

[Kaito Kid Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:22PM]

So the whole trip to TJ to buy a Pre from Telcel was a waste of time.

[svargas05 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:38PM]

New WebOS device on Sprint...where art thou?


I love the Palm Pre (yes even without the "+"), but Sprint is feeling a little outdated!

Getting my dice ready and rootin' for that C40(whatever it is)

:)

[newt45 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 5:14PM]

@svargas05

Just like most people, I think new hardware would be the place to go at this point. I am about to buy a Palm Pre Plus on Verizon despite all of this bad news, the Homebrew community should be enough to make me love this phone for 2 years untill I buy a new phone even IF Palm dies :(.

At this point, both Apple and Palm are guilty of just re-releasing the same thing over and over. The one difference is that so many people buy the iPhone that it doesn't matter and they have the money to do that and w/e else they want. Palm does not. They need to move on IMO.

[brandscaping Posted Mar 22nd 2010 5:18PM]

Jeff at thetelecomblog.com thinks that Palm is ready to be bought out - regardless of how good their handsets are.

http://www.thetelecomblog.com/2010/03/19/life-isn%E2%80%99t-looking-that-good-in-palm-land-these-days-posts-disappointing-sales-net-loss/
what do you think - is he right?
My thoguhts - it doesnt matter how good your product is if your marketing team can't put it in the customers hands.

[apenaroks Posted Mar 22nd 2010 6:33PM]

Great! Now when am I going to be able to get this thing on T-Mobile's 3G network?

Or even better, when will the Plus version make it to Sprint's airways? I want it but not with AT&T and Verizon. I'll take T-Mo or Sprint ANY DAY over AT&T and Verizon

[tenaciouswho Posted Mar 22nd 2010 6:44PM]

Im not gonna lie... I really hope that Palm makes it out of all this alive. Im not really a palm fanboy, but I do recognize innovation when I see it and WebOS is VERY innovative. It would totally crush me if Palm's mistakes lead to the demise of a platform as truly great as WebOS.

[SickRick Posted Mar 22nd 2010 7:20PM]

Palm failed with Verizon because big red was too busy trying to sell their new android phones. My question is how is it going to be different with At&t who will most likely be busy selling their flagship iphone 3GS (soon to be 4G i assume).

It seems to me that the smart phone market is becoming too saturated with Android devices, the iPhone, and Blackberrys to allow Palm to succeed in the magnitude they need to stay around.

I own an iPhone but recognize a superior OS when i see one and therefore want a web OS device. I just can't get myself to buy one unless i know Palm will be around to further update their product line and web OS.

[jaredgibbs Posted Mar 22nd 2010 7:21PM]

All I wanna know is where I can get that sexy background from the first picture onto my JesusPhone?

[imnevercomingback Posted Mar 22nd 2010 8:44PM]

Palm's not dead yet guys. They have cash in the bank to get through at least another year - Probably longer given the announcements today and the pending SFR launch. If Sprint gets another handset for Q1 2011 we're probably looking for at least $350M of revs for the next quarter.

New hardware is coming. New products are coming.

Finally - 1.15M units in the channel is a bit misleading. Unless you know what channels those units are in you can't make an accurate statement about when to expect more orders.

It is very likely that VZ is sitting on a ton of them given Jan 25th launch and the probable anticipated sell through expected by both Palm and VZ. Remember, VZ bought the units already. It doesn't help them to sit on the units either. Somehow this has all become Palm's mistake rather than a clusterfolk from both Palm and VZ. (I know if no retailer that purposely orders more items than they can sell or need.) The reports of Droid happy salespeople at VZ are overwhelming. It possible that VZ is sitting 65% of the channel leaving Sprint with something around 300K units - or one quarter worth of inventory. (as a guess) and it is possible that an order for around 250K units that came through at the very end of the quarter (which hadn't even been paid for at the close of the quarter) were for Sprint. (I backed into that number using Palm's ASP and projected revs from the Feb. warning of between $285 and $310M.

Furthermore, Sprint has had Pre/Pixi for a while - I imagine they have managed their inventory levels pretty well. It is pretty obvious that they may have canceled an order for the current quarter (or delayed orders which pushed back orders...) which sucks but I doubt they are sitting on a ton of excess inventory. The longer a seller has a product the better they are at anticipating demand. Rarely do sales just screech to a halt.

The analysis of the issues facing Palm have been overly simplistic and miss some key elements. I think Palm has a future and remember, Elevation has access to more capital if necessary and they have said they are standing behind the investment.

Finally - linking to Gizmodo ought to be banned in the comment section. It's just plain lazy.

[Inspector Gadget80 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 9:32PM]

Well it looks like I have to tell me sister bout this. She loves PALM. She be very mad if i tell her PIXI and Pre is coming to AT&T. But she likes her Black Berry more. So I'll just have to break the news down.

[Pusha625 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 10:35PM]

-why is it that so many people truly believe the Palm Pre isn't up to par in specs and in design!!! I honestly know and believe if u look at the specs compared to the devices that are out and coming out there is no big advantage and with the enhancements still to come such as Adobe Flash Plugin 10.1 Sites such as Hulu.com etc will be at your fingertips. Not to mention the fact that its a true smartphone with real email calender etc. and synching with more and more email and social network clients then any device on the market. The market seems to go towards what is advertised and beat into your heads by societies standards. thus iphone which apple does a great job of (Marketing and Promoting) but this is all hype no one really speaks of the major issues the iphones faced when they first released up until now they finally corrected the ability to send a mms on a device. The Palm Pre is what less then a year old and peoples are upset there is no new design no new device. What you fail to understand as well Palm is a small company with about 1,000 people on staff unlike blackberry unlike apple unlike htc and truly unlike google. The manufactured truly a unique device that is truly one of the best if not the best OS on the market. Yes Palm needs to strategize to help sell more units but that begins with marketing and training. Honestly i dont see Palm doing nothing but improving on WebOS and putting all you doubters to shame!!!!!

[androom Posted Mar 23rd 2010 5:01AM]

So much for being a world phone... it only has US (AT&T) 3g bands.

Imo they should have used the same model as Google / Nexus One and immediately made a true world phone available unlocked & direct (outside the carrier-channel).

Another nail in the coffin.

[garfieldfriends Posted Mar 23rd 2010 7:42AM]

I heard the battery life for the pre is quite bad - will the pre plus be any better?

[RITarded09 Posted Mar 23rd 2010 12:30PM]

My wish has finally come true. Now to figure out a way to skip the mandatory dataplan :(

Now, Pre+ or Pixie+?

[BrownSound Posted Mar 23rd 2010 12:58PM]

touchy topic comments are being downgraded.