Palm Responding to iPhone?

[MacRumors]

The New York Times writes about Palm's recent hire of Paul Mercer, a former Apple engineer, who most recently had founded Pixo. Pixo was a software that served as the basis for the original Apple iPod.

The article suggests that Mercer's work at Palm will involve some form of response to Apple's iPhone announcement.

The designer, Paul Mercer, a former Apple computer engineer, began work three weeks ago at Palm on a line of new products, a company spokeswoman said, but she declined to comment further on the project.

Palm is one of the companies that is felt to be most affected by a succesful launch of the Apple iPhone.

[Sir]

Absolutely sucks!

[Shagrat]

I wonder how long that will take to get to the shops, given the iPhone's lead on the market?

[LaughingMan]

Palm legitimately has the most to fear from the iPhone, I'm afraid. They haven't had any real compelling products for years since the PDA went out of style. Since then, they have had the moderately successful Treo (which technically, they acquired from purchasing Handspring... hmm). Unfortunately for them, they are so poor at staying cutting edge with their products.

The current Treo lacks basics like built in Wifi, is significantly chubbier and heavier than its competitors, and it seems that Palm takes forever to put out updates to the formfactors of their products.

The iPhone probably doesn't directly compete with Palm's Treo business, as it is still targeted for the enterprise market whereas the iPhone is not, but any more competitors (Apple especially) entering the phone market will have the effect of shrinking Palm's slice of the pie, and soon all of the air will be sucked out of the room, unless Palm pulls something better from its sleeves than multi-colored Palm Treos.

[Peace]

Mercer didn't work on the iPhone at Apple.Only the older iPod's.This will have no effect in competition at all.Apple is still ahead of the pack.

[Shagrat]

Originally Posted by Sir

Absolutely sucks!

Maybe. Maybe not.

But entirely to be expected.

Once again, Apple sets the bar!

[inkswamp]

Honestly, I didn't know Palm was a real player in tech anymore. I'm not saying that to be sarcastic, but I can't think of anything they've done recently that matters.

Anyway, it's funny how things change. I wonder how many people will express pity and/or support for Palm forgetting that their most successful product was a take-off on a product idea that Apple developed originally.

[DMann]

Originally Posted by inkswamp

Honestly, I didn't know Palm was a real player in tech anymore. I'm not saying that to be sarcastic, but I can't think of anything they've done recently that matters.

Anyway, it's funny how things change. I wonder how many people will express pity and/or support for Palm forgetting that their most successful product was a take-off on a product idea that Apple developed originally.

True, the Palm Pilot was an incarnation of the Apple Newton. Not a bad knock-off, but needless to say, a real light-weight. The iPhone will be one tough act to follow, especially since Apple is working on Rev B, as we speak

[dguisinger]

Originally Posted by LaughingMan

Palm legitimately has the most to fear from the iPhone, I'm afraid. They haven't had any real compelling products for years since the PDA went out of style. Since then, they have had the moderately successful Treo (which technically, they acquired from purchasing Handspring... hmm). Unfortunately for them, they are so poor at staying cutting edge with their products.

The current Treo lacks basics like built in Wifi, is significantly chubbier and heavier than its competitors, and it seems that Palm takes forever to put out updates to the formfactors of their products.

The iPhone probably doesn't directly compete with Palm's Treo business, as it is still targeted for the enterprise market whereas the iPhone is not, but any more competitors (Apple especially) entering the phone market will have the effect of shrinking Palm's slice of the pie, and soon all of the air will be sucked out of the room, unless Palm pulls something better from its sleeves than multi-colored Palm Treos.

Quite honestly, one must add that just because MS makes a software update doesn't mean it will work on your windows mobile phone. The carrier must make their version available, and the support usually sucks. I've had two windows powered phones, one 3 years ago and one this past year. I will say this: "Never Again"

They crash, lose calls, there is an audioglitch where rining/notifications stop after the phone is running 24-48 hours even though on the screen it shows a call coming in, so many things don't work with windows mobile its not even funny.

The one thing palm had going for them was non-MS users purchased them, aka, Apple users. Now apple has their own product, palm will disappear.

I must say its sad, but Palm hasn't had anything in years. They got developers to hand code in assembly, which made apps super small, but extremely hard to adjust to adding color and multimedia support.

*edit*

also forgot to add, iPhone has a full blown OS running on it.....Palm can't match the capabilities under the hood on the iPhone anytime soon; not that apple included every feature of OS X...but enough is there to make it a formidable competitor.

[McGarvels]

No offense to this guy...but he's only one man. He is not Apple. There is no way one man will be able to compete against a team of brilliant people who "think different". Don't get me wrong though, this guy might help Palm out a little bit, but there is no way he can compete with Apple. Just my 2 cents.

[techytrent]

i really don't see a big concern with palm. as stated earlier, the guy helped with the development with the older ipods....that's it.

we've come a long way since the early ipods.

[LaughingMan]

Originally Posted by dguisinger

Quite honestly, one must add that just
also forgot to add, iPhone has a full blown OS running on it.....Palm can't match the capabilities under the hood on the iPhone anytime soon; not that apple included every feature of OS X...but enough is there to make it a formidable competitor.

To be fair, Palms should eventually start running Linux (Access Linux Platform, is what its called after that company bought their Palm OS division) in the near future, if Palm doesn't fold up shop soon.

In terms of being a full blown OS, Linux should be there to give Palm what it needs in terms of a preemptive OS... not so sure about the graphical capability though, which quartz and opengl on Mac OS X should do well on the iPhone.

[arn]

I don't think this one guy is a threat so much as Palm is presumably taking things seriously.

[erockerboy]

This is good news for consumers. Apple raises the bar, and the competition scrambles to keep up - consumers will be the ultimate winners.

Interestingly, the NYT article notes that this guy Mercer was the lead designer on System 7 as well as the original iPod UI. Sounds like a pretty high powered dude.

Also in the NYT article - rumors that Palm is retaining Morgan Stanley to explore the possible sale of the company? Hmmm.....!

Exciting times ahead in cell phone land, fer shoor.

[toughboy]

Originally Posted by McGarvels

No offense to this guy...but he's only one man. He is not Apple. There is no way one man will be able to compete against a team of brilliant people who "think different". Don't get me wrong though, this guy might help Palm out a little bit, but there is no way he can compete with Apple. Just my 2 cents.

I dont know who this guy really is, but I completely agree with you. This is a team-game and he is only a one guy. Even extraordinary people like S.J. or Jon Ive are only one man, what makes them so special is the team they pick and how they lead that team.

I hope Palm survives though.. Competition is never bad. A serious brand like Palm to hold on in the market will force Apple to make better iPhones for us

just my cents..

[Peace]

Originally Posted by erockerboy

This is good news for consumers. Apple raises the bar, and the competition scrambles to keep up - consumers will be the ultimate winners.

Interestingly, the NYT article notes that this guy Mercer was the lead designer on System 7 as well as the original iPod UI. Sounds like a pretty high powered dude.

Also in the NYT article - rumors that Palm is retaining Morgan Stanley to explore the possible sale of the company? Hmmm.....!

Exciting times ahead in cell phone land, fer shoor.

Great! so Palms gonna come out with an old fashioned click wheeled iPhone killer that runs System 7?

[dr opposite]

Whatever happened to the BE OS that Palm bought? I thought they'd have had a really good basis for a light but powerful hand held.

dr opp

[thesheep]

Would be great if Palm could come out with a great iPhone competitor in a year or so. Anything that stops the marketplace being dominated by 1 or 2 players in technology is usually good I think, and in the end would help ensure that Apple always keeps those high standards. If only Palm could do something about their OS.

[Bye Bye Baby]

Originally Posted by Sir

Absolutely sucks!

Why should it suck??? This is maybe the competition Apple needs to get the iphone up to the level that we expect. You know competition for Apple is a good thing. Apple is a business not your budy.

[NewSc2]

more competition for Apple = better Apple products

[Belly-laughs]

Palm CEO Ed Colligan on the persistent rumors that Apple will be introducing a Apple phone in the near future:

Originally Posted by Ed Colligan

"We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone,'' he said. "PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in.''

Seems Apple just did, hence their responce.

[gavd]

Originally Posted by Peace

Great! so Palms gonna come out with an old fashioned click wheeled iPhone killer that runs System 7?

Just because the guy worked on these years ago doesn't mean he'll still be coming up with the same ideas.

[a456]

Originally Posted by Shagrat

I wonder how long that will take to get to the shops, given the iPhone's lead on the market?

At least two years to get something that is better than the current iPhone, but by that time the iPhone will have been updated. Looks like it will be a long game of trying to catch up if they've only been working on an iPhone killer for three weeks.

[RedTomato]

I know so many people in both UK and USA who still love their Palms, or who have recently converted to Palm through buying a second hand one cheap (Palm Titanium etc).

These things are so cheap second hand now, and you get a lot for the money aparently. I don't have one but I'm considering it.

If Palm could put out a *cheap* iPhone competitor, Apple would have a struggle on their hands.

Good. Bring it on!

[Darkroom]

Originally Posted by RedTomato

If Palm could put out a *cheap* iPhone competitor, Apple would have a struggle on their hands.

i'm not so sure about that... there are too many companies who build products under the assumption that customers are uninformed fools, but everyone knows that you (usually, and in the case of most Apple products) get what you pay for...