Palm: The Pre Isn't Selling As Well As We Hoped

[ethanolson]

I'm convinced that the gods are against Palm.

 

[cscott_it]

Apps are where it's at, from games, to useless garbage, you need Apps. Even Blackberry, my business phone of choice, launched an App store/tracker last year (App World).

I'm not an iPhone fanboy, but let's face it, they changed the mobile market. Of course, the evolution of hardware made that possible.
If you can't consisntently entice people to make software for your device then you are on sinking ground.

 

[bcube]

due to competition from android,iphone

 

[everlast66]

I don't know about their sales in the states bu in EU customers are punishing them for not realeasing at the same time as in the US. Knowing that their product is inferior to Apple's 3GS they should have launched first cheeper and worldwide. Another match won by Jobs by KO, although they actually knocked themselves out I think.

 

[derek2006]

Their advertising sucked pretty bad. those commercials were just retarded

 

[vant]

If Android didn't exist, they would still be in this position. The iPhone alone was too much for the Pre.

 

[tracyfearson]

Hmm.... so much speculation as to why. Ponder if you will....

http/www.precentral.net/webos-most-successful-smartphone-o2-germany

André Krause, CFO for O2 Germany, called the Pre "The most successful smartphone at O2."

 

[skine]

One problem is that Verizon Wireless didn't even mention the PrePlus on their website until the day after it was released.

I may upgrade to a Pre once my Verizon contract allows me get a new phone, but that's still a few months off.

 

[djayjp]

Maybe because your marketing campaigns were shyte...

(albino woman in the sky shows you multitasking! smrt)

 

[JohnnyLucky]

The market is flooded with entirely too many choices. A lot of the devices out there are not awe inspiring. In fact they're mediocre.

 

[aron311]

For me the build quality just isn't up to scratch.. it looks and feels cheap. Who wants a tacky cheap looking phone?

 

[kemojc]

I love my palm pre, i bought my wife and my mother one. The only reason its not that successful is the initial release wasn't up to par, and their pr department sucks. Lets face it: its a good phone, its easy to use and the web experience is on par with the iphone; Why the hell don't they advertise that?? The medical apps are coming, albeit slowly. All palm needs to do now is actually advertise what the phone does and get a newer model to market come june.

 

[Goro]

"In a world of doesn't, Android DOES!!!"

That's all I have to say.

 

[alextheblue]

[citation][nom]scook9[/nom]Love how they are blaming Verizon, a HUGE carrier that is doing quite well for their phone not selling.....[/citation]To be fair, it is at least partially Verizon's fault. They didn't push the Pre *at all*. If you walk into most Verizon stores, they will try to sell you an Android-based phone. If you ask about a Pre they might show you one, but they have almost no idea what it can do. A coworker of mine actually showed a couple of Verizon salesmen some interesting things the Pre can do that surprised them.

Overall I like the Pre, I have two friends with them (one on Sprint, and one with the Pre+ on Verizon). I've been able to play around with the Pre quite a bit, and overall I like it. I don't think I would pick one up over a competing Android or WinMo device, but the Pre has solid hardware and WebOS is actually pretty damned nice. Screen is too small though, and software (sorry, "app") availability is not as good as it could be, although they opened up development quite a bit recently.

 

[Clintonio]

The mobile market is saturated, the average consumer will probably go for what they've heard of. In fact, the average consumer will probably buy the shiniest and cheapest phone possible for what they want. The educated market is already heavily fragmented between the smartphones. Andriod smartphones, iPhones, Blackberry, Palm Pre, etc...

 

[Guest]

have any of you USED a pre, as for it being open, its more open then android. and for root access its like 3 min away out of the package they hid it so normal users couldn't f stuff up. as for and app market, web os is currently the fastest growing app market at approx 10 apps per day. also complaints about it being slow, Im sorry if you cant wait the .7 sec to open something...

the only complaints I ever see are hardware (look at specs, was better then the current I-phone at release), the keyboard you to each his own I love typing one handed on it. and the fact that its made of plastic, yes I know its not your metal I-phone but I have between the you know what out of mine and all it has to show is a scratch on the side.

it sounds like everyone here is just reiterating the problems they have seen from afar. next time before you try re-posting someone elses complaints how about you use the phone and then give an actual opinion.

Also a fun fact YOU CANNOT BRICK A PRE. ever.

 

[cptnjarhead]

Maybe they should offer phones that run different OS other than palm.
I have a palm treo 750.. windows mobile 6 and i love it. Sure its old and slow.. well compared to newer phones.. but its built like a tank.. very solid does everything i need it to do. Palm phones are commercial grade and all the others seem like toys.. not phones.

My contract has been up for a while.. and i just don't see any phones worth upgrading to. I want full touch screen.. and slide out qwerty keyboard (not virtual), MS phone 7 with a snapdragon processor, but it seems like palm is heading in a different direction.

 

[eccentric909]

[citation][nom]KeeganDoomFire[/nom]have any of you USED a pre, as for it being open, its more open then android. and for root access its like 3 min away out of the package they hid it so normal users couldn't f stuff up. as for and app market, web os is currently the fastest growing app market at approx 10 apps per day. also complaints about it being slow, Im sorry if you cant wait the .7 sec to open something...the only complaints I ever see are hardware (look at specs, was better then the current I-phone at release), the keyboard you to each his own I love typing one handed on it. and the fact that its made of plastic, yes I know its not your metal I-phone but I have between the you know what out of mine and all it has to show is a scratch on the side.it sounds like everyone here is just reiterating the problems they have seen from afar. next time before you try re-posting someone elses complaints how about you use the phone and then give an actual opinion.Also a fun fact YOU CANNOT BRICK A PRE. ever.[/citation]

I like my Pixi as well, though the Pre is quite a bit faster. I can also easily install homebrew apps, in fact, there is an app browser app (called AppScoop) for Beta/Alpha released apps which haven't made it to the WebOS app store too. Hell, you can install Apps from direct links, bypassing a need for an app store completely. It is a very "open" phone, compared to most.

Palm doesn't clamp down on it's developers like Apple does, which is nice. There is an app for everything I need and I never thought I'd say it, but I actually don't mind surfing the web on my phone.

Hell, my Pixi even multi-tasks pretty nicely. The major reason I picked up the Pixi was due to having a RSI/Carpal Tunnel in my wrists. The Pixi is one of the, if not the lightest smartphone out there (the IPhone weighs 1.5x what the Pixi weighs). Believe it or not, it's incredibly sturdy as well.

That all said, I do love Android phones too. Both phones have significantly more to offer than the IPhone. I think most people would be happy with the Pre/Pixi phones, they just don't know much about them at all.

 

[Guest]

If they sold it in more locations (read outside of the states...) maybe they could.... you know, increase their sales??