Palm Pre 2
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
|---|---|
| Fate | Acquired by Hewlett-Packard |
| Successor | Hewlett-Packard |
Area served | Global |
| Products | Smartphones, mobile devices |
| Parent | Hewlett-Packard |
The Palm Pre 2 (marketed as palm prē 2) is a slider-style smartphone created by Palm, Inc. and subsequently by Hewlett-Packard. It features a multi-touch display combined with a physical sliding keyboard. This model represents the third handset to operate on Palm's Linux-based mobile operating system, webOS, launching with version 2.0. The Pre 2 offers integrated camera functionality, media playback, GPS navigation, personal information management tools, communication applications, and supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Unveiled on October 19, 2010, the device initially became available through French carrier SFR. Plans were made for its release on United States carrier Verizon Wireless, Canadian carrier Rogers Wireless, as well as an unlocked UMTS version intended for developers.
Significant enhancements include the introduction of a flat Gorilla Glass display replacing the previously used curved plastic screen, an upgraded processor for improved performance, enhanced camera capabilities, and the elimination of the delicate plastic cover for the microUSB port. The overall dimensions and design closely resemble those of earlier models.
Importantly, the Pre 2 was the last smartphone to carry the Palm brand name; later products such as the Pre 3, HP Veer, and HP Touchpad were released under HP branding.
History
On August 11, 2010, webOS developer Geoff Gauchet discovered an unidentified device referred to as "Roadrunner" running webOS 2.0 through his Foursquare application.
By October 12, 2010, key technical details including a 1 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM surfaced on France's SFR website ahead of the official launch scheduled for October 22.
The Pre 2 was introduced in the U.S. market as an unlocked developer model on November 18, 2010. It became available in Canada via Rogers Wireless on December 20, 2010, followed by its release on Verizon Wireless in the U.S. on February 17, 2011.
Software
This device was the inaugural handset to feature HP Palm's webOS version 2.0. The most recent official software update was version 2.2.4, with distribution contingent upon carrier authorization for certain variants.