Perhaps there's hope for Palm after all.
Palm recently announced in a quarterly conference call that its newest smartphone, the Treo Pro, would be serviced by a U.S. carrier. Though Palm did not name which carrier, hints are pointing at AT&T, according to a WM Experts story.
When the Treo Pro launched last month, some analysts said the device wouldn't fare well in the United States due to its lack of a carrier. An unlocked handset with no carrier meant no subsidy, forcing a customer to pay the full amount for the phone --
$549.
With a U.S. carrier servicing the Treo Pro, potential customers can expect to pay around $200 to $300 for the phone (if Palm wishes to compete).
The Treo Pro's key features include a 320-by-320 pixel touch screen, a QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi connectivity and built-in GPS. Wired.com reviewer Steven Leckhart wasn't a big fan of the phone: He found the touchscreen unresponsive even with the stylus (bleh), among other flaws.
And even with AT&T picking up the Treo Pro, the handset still faces major challenges: In particular, Palm needs to worry about Research In
Motion, HTC and Apple -- three competitors who are dominating the U.S. smartphone market while Palm is falling behind.
Treo Pro WILL be Available on AT&T, Perhaps not until December (at best) [WM Experts via The Boy Genius Report]
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