Sprint Exclusive with Palm Pre Through 2009
If it was a marriage, we’d call it failure for only lasting 6 months, but when it comes to the mobile industry it’s pretty much standard. Both Verizon and AT&T have now said they’ll be getting the Pre. Verizon said 6 months. Sprint spokesman James Fisher simply said, “We have the Pre through 2009.”
Sprint will get the boost it needs from the Pre, and will end up with 2 year deals from most customers on their everything plans, because we all want to be the first to have it and don’t want to pay $900.00 to get it. Not a bad deal. Then Palm gets the continuing revitalization, after Sprint’s exclusivity ends, by having the phone offered on other carriers. Simple business – everybody wins and Palm and Sprint get the jump on the market that both companies needed.
The 6 month future of the Pre may be good news for Verizon customers; although anybody familiar with their technological history will know to expect a Pre, minus the coolest features. Because we all know “the Network” would be so damaged if they were to let people use their phones the way they were intended. Can you hear us now?
No further word on who else could pick up the device, but due to Palm’s statement about a GSM version being in the works, at the very least you other network types have hope for a Pre filled future. Whether or not it takes some hacking to allow for it to work you can rest assured that we here at PMP will be the first to let you know how and help you get it done.