Treo's Set To Ship With Windows Mobile

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/PalmSource+takes+hit+on+investment+report/2100-1045_3-5435211.html?tag=nefd.hed' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/PalmSource+takes+hit+on+investment+report/2100-1045_3-5435211.html?tag=nefd.hed</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Shares of PalmSource, the handheld operating system developer, dipped Monday on an investment bank's report that said key licensee PalmOne will use Microsoft's OS in its Treo line of devices."</i><br /><br />In the past there have been discussions and admissions from the Palm camp that the Treo could easily handle running Windows Mobile-based OS. Now, analysts are saying that <i>an announcement is virtually certain</i>, and Palm stock is getting hit over the news. I think it's a no win situation for Palm. If they move to Windows Mobile people will think that they have no confidence in the PalmOS, and if they don't they could stand to loose the corporate market to Microsoft.

[HailFire]

... It must've been love, but it's over now ...

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

[Kris Kumar]

What a news to wake up to. :)

WooHoo...

I am surprised at the stock market. Always have been. Do they even know what technology is? Everything MS is bad. Linux, RIM and Palm are good. :?

Update: I guess I got excited reading the news. Stock Market's reaction IS justified. I got PalmSource and PalmOne mixed up. I thought PalmOne was going down because of the deal. :oops: Ignore my above statement. Stock market does know a few things about tech and the implications of the deal.

[marlof]

I think it's a no win situation for Palm. If they move to Windows Mobile people will think that they have no confidence in the PalmOS, and if they don't they could stand to loose the corporate market to Microsoft.

I think this is the consequence of dividing Palm into PalmOne and PalmSource. PalmSource is being hit now, since the major licensee they have might announce that they will (also) provide a second OS, next to the one PalmSource is providing. In itself it is not unusual for one licensee to bring out devices with different OSes (Samsung seems to bring out devices with every OS known to man), but the fact that one spinoff from Palm might no longer feel itself bound to the OS the other spinoff is providing is significant. If this is a no win situation for PalmOne remains to be seen. May be their value will benefit from catering for different markets.

[Kris Kumar]

It depends on PalmOne to make the best of the (possible) deal. Right now I think PalmOne decision makes sense. They don't want to put all their eggs in one basket. And Microsoft Windows Mobile has more features than the PalmSource OS. Not to mention a better developer support. PalmOne stands to gain a lot from this deal. They have a lot of knowhow and feel for the market in the smartphone arena, thanks to Treo. Motorola, Samsung and HTC are good. But are not solely focussed on smartphone. Having a company dedicated to smartphone and using Windows Mobile, is a great step for PalmOne and also for smartphone market.

I would like to see a RIM device running Windows Mobile. When will RIM decide that it's OS does not have the potential to satisfy the needs of the future mobile computing?

[brianchris]

This is very exciting news: One of the best Smartphone hardware form factors combined with the best Smartphone OS = :drool:

It may be too early to speculate, but WIndows Mobile could either mean the PocketPC OS or the MS Smartphone OS....I wonder which?

[Mike Temporale]

It may be too early to speculate, but WIndows Mobile could either mean the PocketPC OS or the MS Smartphone OS....I wonder which?

Nah, it would be Pocket PC for one simple reason, Touch Screen. :(

[[email protected]]

I don't think it has to mean a loss for PalmSource. People who like Palm OS will keep liking it, and buy the Palm-version of the Treo or some other Palm-based smartphone. I think it's more likely to hit sales of the SonyEricsson 910 and the Phone Edition Ipaq.

[marlof]

Well, they didn't say the Treo 650 will have WM, they say they might see a WM based device in the Treo line. What's keeping them from bringing out a smaller, non-touchscreen based device? Like Moto working simultaneously on the MPx 220 and the MPx. Anyhow, these are interesting times!

[PPCMD]

Don't forget even if they said yeah we're gonna do it we wouldn't see anything for what 12-18 months. FCC has to get in the way.

[Mike Temporale]

Don't forget even if they said yeah we're gonna do it we wouldn't see anything for what 12-18 months. FCC has to get in the way.

Unless, of course, if they have been working on it for the last 12 months, and all that is left is FCC approval. Then we could see it by year end! :D

[Kris Kumar]

More fodder...

C|NET: PalmOne ponders OS options (http://news.com.com/PalmOne+ponders+OS+options/2100-1045_3-5438347.html)

The Milpitas, Calif.-based firm has evaluated both Microsoft-based operating systems as well as at least one version of Linux as a potential alternative operating system to the Palm OS for its handheld devices, CNET News.com has learned.

...

Former Palm rival Handspring had been laying plans for a device with Microsoft's OS prior to Handspring's acquisition by Palm in late 2003, Blair said.

...

Blair said the two companies are going further and that he believes PalmOne will release a Treo using a Microsoft OS sometime next year.