iPhone rival to hit shops next month
O2 has confirmed that Palm’s eagerly awaited Pre smartphone will be launched in the UK on October 16. The device was launched in the US in June this year.
The Pre’s US launch was greeted with generally positive reviews and some analysts have suggested that the phone may present a real challenge to Apple’s iPhone dominance.
It runs on Palm’s own WebOS operating system and can pull together information from a variety of online sources, such as social media sites, and present them to the user in a single interface. It supports Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity and has a 3.1-inch touchscreen, a slide-out Qwerty keyboard and a 3megapixel camera.
Prices for the Pre will mirror those of the iPhone. Business users can get the device for free if they sign up to a 24- or 36-month contract on tariffs starting at £30.91.
O2 will be the only UK operator selling the device. The contract mirrors O2’s iPhone exclusivity deal.
