Palm announced this week that it had sold its two millionth Centro phone, ahead of its own target to reach that number by the end of 2008. 

In June, I assumed that Palm’s conservative sales expectations were due to the anticipated release of the iPhone 3G in July, but the NYtimes Bits blog is reporting strong sales among female customers. More than half of Centro purchases are made by women under the age of 35, according to one IDC report, a far higher percentage than other Smartphones. Also, the Centro’s low $99 price, QWERTY keyboard, and the ability to tether wireless broadband to a laptop, may have continued to attract customers over the iPhone.

The same IDC report also showed that Centros were attracting more traditional mobile phone users to upgrade, due to the lower cost when compared to other options on the market.

More news, commentary, and predictions from The Industry Standard:

• Analysis: Independent gaming could flourish on the iPhone
• Analysis: The big merger of 2008: The mobile phone and Web
• Analysis: Apple's most important WWDC announcement: GPS on the iPhone
• Special Feature: Where are they now? The Industry Standard tracks down 10 dot-coms from the Web bubble of the late 1990s