Sprint Treo Pro Release Delayed
Sprint Delays Release of Treo Pro For Additional Testing + Available To Pre-Order at Best Buy Online
After briefly making the Treo Pro available on its website last week and then promptly removing it (see Sprint Treo Pro available to buy now) many people are rightly scratching their heads trying to figure out what’s going on…
For starters, according to a leaked Best Buy Mobile memo (text below), it appears that although the Sprint Treo Pro was indeed initially due to launch this past Sunday, January 25 and that some Best Buy stores had already received their inventory the new launch date is now set for Sunday, February 15:
Palm Treo Pro: Launch Delayed Until 2/15
(Best Buy Internal Memo)
Launch Delayed for Sprint Treo Pro by PalmThe launch of the Treo Pro has been delayed until Feb. 15, 2009. This SKU was initially set to launch on Jan. 25 at Best Buy. Details:
- Inventory was direct shipped from Sprint and arrived at stores on Jan. 22 and 23
- 1,900 devices were shipped into Best Buy stores (4 table program, all wave and SAS). Please identify and hold them until Feb. 15 launch date. Inventory should be locked up and held until the launch date and cannot be sold at this time.
- SNAP and the Sprint call center will not accepts activations of this device and it cannot be sold as a handset-only without activation until Feb. 15 as well.
- The Palm Pro will remain on planogram for Jan. 25. Do not display the mock on planogram until the launch date.
Evidently not all Best Buy employees read the above memo as an image quickly appeared of the Sprint Treo Pro display unit below at one of its stores…
Additionally, yet another Treonaut managed to get his hands on the official Sprint Treo Pro “Pocket Sales Guide” which conveniently include the final specifications of this smartphone and I am delighted to say that the memory has now been confirmed as a huge 512MB RAM (300MB user available) and 128MB of ROM – a memory increase that makes it rather more convenient to install as many Windows Mobile applications as you like (see my Top Treo Pro software choices).
It’s true that with the announcement of the Palm Pre the Treo Pro will prove less appealing for some but I still believe that it’s nonetheless still an absolutely terrific device in its own right – particularly for professionals who specifically need or want Windows Mobile. I guess that with its release now scheduled for the day after Valentine’s it will also make the perfect gift…
Separately, Sprint Nextel today announced that it will cut a total of about 8,000 jobs (about 12.5% of its workforce) by March 31 to reduce internal and external labor costs. This announcement has naturally prompted some to cast a shadow over Palm’s choice of launch partner for the Pre but given the absolutely terrific reviews that the Palm Pre has garnered to date I actually think that this smartphone will help Sprint quite a bit when released…
UPDATE: The mystery continues as the Sprint Treo Pro has now shown up for pre-order at Best Buy online… The pricing here of $699.99 is obviously not right considering that the Unlocked Treo Pro is priced at $599.99 and you should expect to pay about $249 with a two year contract.
Sources:
Sprint Treo Pro: Delayed until 2/15 [Mobility Today]
Treo Pro Brochure for Sprint [Tech Talk]
Sprint job cuts to total 8,000 [CNNMoney]
Treonauts are always ready for a launch… 
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Comments
If the Palm pré had been conceived for a Mac OS software compatibility, the Windows platform would have benefit of less bugged and abysmall freezing system...
Well, I can only hope that the Pre release will not be this shambolic ....
I was just talking with a customer service associate last night and inquired about the Treo Pro. She said that she just read a memo, dated within the last few days, which says that the release has been postponed again. She was not sure when the new release date would be but said that it will probably be just a few more weeks.
Has anyone else heard this?
i spoke to a custer service associate over the phone and he told me he did not know anything about the Treo Pro and as far as he knows sprint wont have this phone. But at the store they told me the release date was Feb 17. this is confusing..
Tried to order the Palm Pro last week and was told you could do so on the 11th. Tried and was told by Sprint to order on the 15th. I tried on the 16 and the 17th. I was told today that it is DELKAYED until March 15th now! Anyone know otherwise???
oops...should have read what I wrote! DELAYED until March 15th. BTW, they also said that the Palm Pre is now delayed until the 4th quarter.
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