Apple Buying Palm?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

Several people linked (http://www.pcw.co.uk/personal-computer-world/news/2149813/apple-bite-palm) to an article that discusses the possibility of Apple buying Palm.

This doesn't even qualify as speculation, but simply as wishful thinking on the part of some Palm investors calling for Palm to be put up for sale.

Apple reportedly did have some interest in purchasing Palm a number of years ago, but there has been no new evidence of interest from Apple.

[arn]

posted at all because it was prominently linked. Doesn't even count as speculation.

arn

[iMeowbot]

I don't see any sense in this, Palm don't even own their software any more.

[zelman]

I don't see any sense in this, Palm don't even own their software any more.

Actually I think PalmOne bought PalmSource so it's one company again.

[mixel]

It'd be interesting if this happened.. Very weird though..

I think Palm own all of the Be assets as well as the obvious Palmos stuff, and Beos was a lot like sexed up Amiga-os.. And.. Wow.

I'm having dreams of a Beos/Palmos/osX best of breed next generation Newton here. ;)

Unfortunately i think there's about as much chance that I'll buy Palm as Apple will.

[revfife]

Might be some strength in this if Apple is really pushing to enter the phone/pda/music/video convergence device. iPhone could be a new Treo?

[iMeowbot]

Actually I think PalmOne bought PalmSource so it's one company again.
No. PalmSource was bought by a firm in Japan named Access (http://www.access-us-inc.com/). The Palm looking for a buyer is only a hardware company now.

That sale happened months ago and few seem to have noticed. I guess that illustrates how irrelevant the platform has become.

[DMann]

No. PalmSource was bought by a firm in Japan named Access (http://www.access-us-inc.com/). The Palm looking for a buyer is only a hardware company now.

That sale happened months ago and few seem to have noticed. I guess that illustrates how irrelevant the platform has become.

As speculation hints at a lite OS X running on an iPod,
there really would be no need for Apple to acquire Palm.
Let the metamorphosis evolve!

[shrimpdesign]

I agree with arn. Not even close to speculation.

Apple can make a great handheld without Palm. And as others have mentioned, Palm doesn't own the OS, just the hardware.

[Kingsly]

Also, for all their vaunted style, the latest Apple notebooks look like antiques beside the latest pen-driven Tablet PCs.

WHAT???!!!
I like the speculation about Apple buying palm, but why add this at the end? This is more ridiculous than saying France is a military superpower! Who wants a tablet PC that looks like it was designed by one of Jonathan Ive's excrement's?
I will be first in line for an iPalm with OSX Kitten.

[j_maddison]

I'd love to see Apple buy Palm. I bought a Tungsten T5 last year, and was very underwhelmed by it. I'd previously owned a Handspring Visor Edge a few years ago while i was a student, and loved it.

It seems like Palm have gone backwards. I found the synchronisation process complicated, the Graffiti input frustrating and inaccurate (graffiti 2 has replaced the older and more user friendly Graffiti input method), and the device was positivly ugly compared to my Visor Edge.

I don't think Apple would contemplate buying Palm unless they wanted to aquire a customer base. I think the only company that would benefit from an aquisition would be Palm and not Apple. I think Apple have enough brand strength to negate the need to aquire Palm.

Jason

[HasanDaddy]

you don't buy Palm for the OS

the entire point of buying Palm is for the Treo

clearly, the Treo is best PDA/PHONE out there

I could actually see this as a possibility ---- no company has invented a better convergence-PDA device, than Palm has with the Treo

yeah yeah --- there is Blackberry, but it lacks the touchscreen, and multimedia capabilities

a Treo-iPod device would take the technology world by storm --- and Handspring/Palm is the only company that has truely perfected the PDA-Phone device --- if Apple has plans to make another iPhone, then this would be the model to purchase and improve upon

[mpw]

you don't buy Palm for the OS

the entire point of buying Palm is for the Treo

clearly, the Treo is best PDA/PHONE out there

I could actually see this as a possibility ---- no company has invented a better convergence-PDA device, than Palm has with the Treo...
What about the iMate JasJar or K-Jam? I been looking recently to purchase and both of those ticked at least as many boxes, if not more, than the Treos from Palm. In the end I settled for a Palm T|X and will make do with carrying it and a cell phone for now. Why, oh Why didn't they and the cellphone functions to the T|X? that would clean up.

[DrNeroCF]

If Apple bought Palm and made an iPod with touchscreen PDA functionality running a OS X themed version of BeOS, that would be a dream come true...

[sartinsauce]

I will be first in line for an iPalm with OSX Kitten.

LOL!:D

I want a hack to run OSX Kitten on my PSP!

Now!

[iMeowbot]

you don't buy Palm for the OS

the entire point of buying Palm is for the Treo
But why bother? Apple could just as easily license the same software (if they even wanted it) and build their own. They certainly don't need Palm to learn how to build small devices.

[HasanDaddy]

But why bother? Apple could just as easily license the same software (if they even wanted it) and build their own. They certainly don't need Palm to learn how to build small devices.

I disagree ---- few companies have been able to replicate what Handspring did

HP has failed, Palm failed, and other are failing ---- RIM can do it, but it lacks touchscreen and multimedia

Handpsring was bought out SOLELY for its engineering designs behind the Treo --- only Palm has ownership over this engineering model, and that's why they are considered a hot commodity

[DaftUnion]

Mp3 players never did too well until the iPod came along...so if Apple could do the same thing with Palm who knows...

[steve_hill4]

I disagree ---- few companies have been able to replicate what Handspring did

HP has failed, Palm failed, and other are failing ---- RIM can do it, but it lacks touchscreen and multimedia

Handpsring was bought out SOLELY for its engineering designs behind the Treo --- only Palm has ownership over this engineering model, and that's why they are considered a hot commodity
Got to say that as PDA sales pick up, Hp are gaining a lot of business for using Windows. The average joe on the street looks at the models that replicate their desktop environment, which for most is Windows. Those that have actually used a few of them usually end up plumping for Palm.

We are now in a position where Palm are using Windows Mobile 5 for the Treo 700 and PalmSource are developing Palm OS 6, so it is unclear in which direction they are heading. If they do decide to convert over to Windows, that will start to kill off sales from Mac owners, so Apple would be advised to think about a Newton or SmartPhone any time now.

[ziwi]

What would they be acquiring actually - an outmoded attemt to create on the go information? The cell phone companies really killed the PDA by integrating the elements into the phone - will it eventually be the same for the iPod? iTunes works on some phones now...who really wants to carry a tone of stuff around - I would be in favor of the phone that does it all versus carrying the PDA, Beeper, iPod and phone...

[cmcconkey]

I just recently got the 650 Treo from verizon and it is the best phone I have ever used. When I got it I was asked why I didn't pay the extra and get the 700, my answer was, I have a mac laptop and syncing with it is very easy useing the 650 and I think with the 700 it is impossible. The sales person just looked at me with a very blank look on his face, so apparently he doesn't know anything but the written specs and what is new. I think that it would be a very good thing for Apple to buy Palm, there would be great devices to come from it but then again there could be a good "smartphone" coming from Apple. We all also know that if it is totally an Apple project it will be a "smartphone" done right.

Christopher

[Timepass]

It could be intersting if apple made there own PDA device (palms falling under PDA device). PDAs in general is a small market but I will say I really like have a Palm. I own the Palm TX that I got for xmas. It really nice for keeping thing in order and keeping track of meeting, homework class and what not.

But as it was said before it a small market. I think part of the iPod boom and small mp3 taking off right when apple enter was partly apple doing and partly really good timing. Mp3 where a growing market.

That being said it would be a intersting move by apple but several things would be required for an Apple PDA to stand a chance. Besides syncing with OSX over BT, Wireless and so on. It would need to sync with Outlook and windows computer. The market for PDA is to small already and does not need to be even more limited.

Now the biggest little boost would be the very small % of apple users (I thinking under 1% of apple users) who will buy anything apple sells and claim it great. But it would get a boost out of apple lovers who are on thinking about buying a PDA device but want something better that works nicer with OSX. My biggest complaint about the Palm OS is in syncing wiht Outlook never everything works the same on both sides but over all pretty well. That was the only reason I was thinking about something that is running the M$ OS on the PDA because it would work a bit better with synic with the desktop. Improve on syncing on both sides and I think it would sell really well. The market is getting ripper for PDA devices as the iPod generation grows order in life and wants better ways to keep track of everything they need to do and update it better.

My palm is my daily planner. I dont carry one of those weekly planner books around. I just pull out my small palm and put it in there. The group of people who grown up with techology all there lives are getting older and becoming adults. PDAs are an adult toy. When PDAs first came out the target aduicences just say it as a gimic. They where not a techology heavy group. Now you have people like me entering that group now and I from the techology heavy era and I love electitic techology.

So in the end it could be good time for apple to buy it and get into PDAs as the market is getting rip. It would just need to make sure it works really well with outlook and office. Along with everything in OSX. The iPod kind of plays nice with outlook. Just not very well yet. Pain to have to give it permision every time I want to update everything in it. The Palm does it with out question, and I do it from any where in my house.

[chillywilly]

Apple buying Palm... I'm kind of mixed on this. I mean, I've used some sort of PDA for almost 20 years now and I can never imagine my life without one.

The Newton was one of my favorites, but I was able to replace it with Windows CE, then Palm, then Windows CE, then Pocket PC then back to Palm and while there are some nice things about Palm (ease of use, simple tools), it's just as supseptable to problems (HotSync takes at least 5 tries before I get one that goes error free, file management not as smooth as Pocket PC).

If Apple were to purchase Palm, I think they have one purpose in mind: smartphone - read: Treo. I've been lusting after the 650 since it came out and would love to see it be a part of my daily life, but at the same time, there's issues with it that need to be worked out.

My curious question is what would Apple do that Palm is not already doing? I know Cobalt (Palm OS 6) is pretty much stillborn and who knows what other stuff they are doing (what happened to BeOs and Palm's purchase and where has it been integrated into current shipping products?).

If Apple did purchase Palm, what would become of the solo PDA (non-smartphone)? The new Palm T/X is very nice and has a lot of features for $300. There are a lot of people (including myself) that really don't mind carrying two devices around with them (can you type a note on the Treo while on a phone call?)

The jury is still out for me and at this point, I really don't see a reason for Apple to bog themselves down with buying a company like Palm.

[wHo_tHe]

the entire point of buying Palm is for the Treo

clearly, the Treo is best PDA/PHONE out there I agree that would be the point.

But the Treo is phlegh. Anybody who could seriously argue that a Treo is anywhere near as good as a Sony Ericsson P910a has never used either.

[Chip NoVaMac]

I like the idea. It would put Apple on an equal footing in regards to PDA's and PDA/Cellphones. And with Apple's design insight - they may be able to giveus something better than M$...

[mr_matalino]

will never happen. palm is junk

[shrimpdesign]

I disagree ---- few companies have been able to replicate what Handspring did

HP has failed, Palm failed, and other are failing ---- RIM can do it, but it lacks touchscreen and multimedia

Handpsring was bought out SOLELY for its engineering designs behind the Treo --- only Palm has ownership over this engineering model, and that's why they are considered a hot commodity
Yeah, but we're not talking about HP or anyother crap electronics company. We're talking about Apple. Look at the nano. That thing is friggin small.

You don't think that Apple can out-do Palm with a PDA with all it's years of beautiful industrial design?! I mean, c'mon, that might work on HP, but not Apple. Apple excells with cramming the coolest tech into the coolest case.

[mpw]

..You don't think that Apple can out-do Palm with a PDA with all it's years of beautiful industrial design?! I mean, c'mon, that might work on HP, but not Apple. Apple excells with cramming the coolest tech into the coolest case.
There's not a lot more needs doing with the Palm T|X hardware other than the addition of telephony and more battery capacity which is easily 'doable'.

An Palm/Apple (Papple?) tie up with Apple handling the software (building on Palm's good OS, which was itself I believe based on the Newton's) in a very similar form factor to the T|X but in a PowerBook alloy finish would sell a million unit's in the first year if priced at under $450.

[ipacmm]

I like the idea. It would put Apple on an equal footing in regards to PDA's and PDA/Cellphones. And with Apple's design insight - they may be able to giveus something better than M$...

I agree, I also like the idea of Apple buying Palm because they would make the Treo into an even better PDA/Phone.

[shrimpdesign]

There's not a lot more needs doing with the Palm T|X hardware other than the addition of telephony and more battery capacity which is easily 'doable'.

An Palm/Apple (Papple?) tie up with Apple handling the software (building on Palm's good OS, which was itself I believe based on the Newton's) in a very similar form factor to the T|X but in a PowerBook alloy finish would sell a million unit's in the first year if priced at under $450.
1. I never said that Palm didn't make good PDAs. I was recently thinking of getting a T|X myself, but I've decided that my new iMac need more RAM first. I might get one someday for handheld wi-fi, but I still think that Apple can out-do Palm at any industrial design they can concoct.

2.If Apple bought Palm, they would still need to licence the OS from Access (company who bought PalmSource). And then they would have a handheld with a different OS look and feel from OS X and iPod OS. Alternatively they could hack the Palm OS to look like OS X, but waht about the feel? Apple doesn't want Palm OS. These rumors about buying Palm aren't rumors at all, they're silly day dreams. Apple could kick Palm's &$$ making a PDA or smartphone.

Apple doesn't want to complicate things. They'd build it from the ground-up in house. Then it would look and feel like OS X mini. As they say "Apple makes the whole gadget." They don't need Palm.

[pimentoLoaf]

If Apple buys Palm maybe Jobs will be able to design a phone that meets his extremely high standards that is also extremely easy to use.

I read an article recently that claimed Jobs is so picky about design, he often rejects 99% of the phone designs out there, due to their difficult interfaces.