Palm Pre 2 shunned by UK networks
UK networks have greeted the Palm Pre 2 with a shrug, declining to stock the first phone released by Palm since it was bought by HP.
Despite sporting the latest 2.0 version of Palm's webOS software, the Palm Pre 2 could beat the Sinclair X-1 to the title of this month's least-wanted sequel. The Pre 2 has been met with withering indifference by British networks, failing to make it on to a single carrier so far.
Statements from all the major UK networks indicate that it's a No and a huge flashing X to the latest Palm mobile, according to tech blog Pocket Lint.
The first Palm Pre dropped with great fanfare a mere year ago, exclusively on O2, and the network also sells the Palm Pre Plus and the Palm Pixi Plus. But, like the other networks, O2 has no plans to sell the Pre 2.
Palm told us "users are expecting" to see the Pre 2 on UK networks this year, but it had nothing to say about where and when it might happen. The Pre 2 is for sale on the Palm website SIM-free, for £399.
In our review, we liked the Pre 2's whizzy, intuitive user interface -- but we didn't think it was a vast improvement over the Pre and the Pre Plus.
The Pre 2 is the first Palm phone to come out since the company was bought by HP, which has major plans for webOS. We're likely to see the software powering tablets and even touchscreen printers next year.
Palm promises the Pre 2 will benefit from a huge advertising push early next year, along with other new webOS products, in the hope we'll consider picking up a phone, a tablet and a printer that can communicate seamlessly. As keen as we are to commit the occasional snapshot or email to paper, we're doubtful that the charms of a printer could persuade us to choose a smart phone based on the same OS.
Are you gutted that the Palm Pre 2 won't be available on contract, or do you not give a hoot? Hello? Is anyone even reading this? Let us know in the comments.