Rumor backs O2 exclusivity on Palm Pre
updated 03:10 pm EDT, Wed July 1, 2009
Palm Pre O2 Exclusive Leak
Palm's UK event for the Pre will likely reveal O2 to be the sole carrier if tips are authentic. More than one source has told The Guardian that earlier rumors are true and that Palm is likely to imitate Apple's strategy for the island nation, which both gives O2 sole network rights and Carphone Warehouse the only third-party rights to sell the phone on O2's behalf. Reportedly, it has also echoed O2's coup for the iPhone by thwarting an attempt by Orange to land the same deal.
While apparently copying Apple's strategy, the approach may be the most effective for Palm. Having received positive reviews after its US release on Sprint, the Pre may benefit from being treated as a "halo" device for a particular carrier and would be headed to the single largest network in the UK, guaranteeing the most possible exposure without having to negotiate a multi-carrier deal.
The Pre still doesn't have a definitive release date but may not ship until the fall. When it arrives, its only expected difference is a switch from CDMA and EVDO for calls and data to GSM and HSPA respectively, which should also open the door to releases for AT&T and Rogers once exclusivity deals end in North America.
