Submitted by David Kuan01.26.2009
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This prediction is closed and has been judged.
Palm will launch the Palm Pre exclusively on Sprint sometime in the first half of 2009. Bloggers are buzzing that Palm Pre could come as early as Feb. 15. Don't hold your breath on getting a Pre for Valentine's, but don't expect to wait till June 30, 2009 either.
Prediction: the Palm Pre launches by April 30, 2009. For a favorable judgment, Sprint or Palm announces the date of when the Pre becomes available for sale. Pre-order dates (for later shipment) does not meet the criteria.
Image: Palm
Price History
Prediction Statistics
| Betting Closes: | Apr 15 2009 | Current Consensus: | 13.59% | Total Bets: | 29 |
| Today's Change: | 0% | ||||
| Life Time High: | 77.73% | ||||
| Life Time Low: | 13.59% |
Comments
A SPRINT REP TOLD ME AROUND THE END OF FEB TO THE BEGINNING OF MARCH AND SHE WAS PRETTY SURE. BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN DEMOING ON THE PHONE...
According to this, April is the date. Not surprised if it comes earlier though.
Boygenius blog is saying Palm Pre will be out in mid-March.
Announced today that Sprint only has exclusivity on Pre until the end of 2009. That would certainly put more pressure for an early launch instead of mid-year..
The PR bandwagon is starting to move. Sprint/Palm announced webcast on Palm Pre starting on March 12. Everyone knows that PR events have short attention span. As such, if the launch is further away, such PR events would be useless. Hence, the time is drawing near on Palm Pre launch.
Doubtful that it's ready for an April 30 debut. An update today on the Palm Pre basically said there is no update.
I am expecting Palm to debut Pre with Sprint no earlier than May.
Could the delay be lack of FCC approval? The evidence is nowhere in sight!
Not sure. But Palm reports its quarterly earnings tomorrow at 1:30 PM PT and I suspect that executives will address a launch date for the device.
Or more likely that the executives will continue to stand by the 1st half of 2009 announcement made previously as it has several times since especially when production ONLY started in March
Given that production only started in March and Palm/Sprint affirmation that launch is planned in such a way that there is sufficient inventory to meet expected pent-up demands, it is highly unlikely that launch will take place anytime earlier than May.
1) Production starts in March
2) Production units will need to undergo Quality Assurance
3) Units that passed QA are then packaged
4) Package needs to be shipped from Taiwan to US (normally by ship)
5) Received packages need to be picked up (after customs) and transported to warehouse.
6) From the warehouse, distributions are then made to retail stores.
All the above has to occur sequentially and require some time. Highly unlikely to be all done within a period of 2 months, IMHO.
Rumors of a 4/30 release date
Here is an attempt to check on the source. I am still betting a May launch.
The 4/30 rumor on Twitter confirmed bogus
Despite confirmation of customer service training on Palm Pre, it looks like launch to be no earlier than May 16.
Just spoke to a good friend of mines who work for Sprint. He just confirmed an April 30th release date. ITS ABOUT TIME!!!!!!! and if he's lying to me I will cause him physical HARM!!!
If it IS April 30, why haven't we seen a media blitz by Sprint/Palm?
What is the hold up??
All I know is, they better do it before June (in case Apple releases or at least reveals their new iPhone then).
This is beginning to look like a June launch as hinted by casting call for Palm Pre ad.
I wish the pre comes out ASAP because i'm about to say for get the pre and get a blackberry. however, I really, really want the pre.
i believe its coming out in the middle of june
Judged against.
Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/ilamont
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