A really good article on why Palm’s deal with Vodafone was a non-deal. And it’s not just a Europe vs. US thing. It’s really partly based on market competition. Read it for yourself.
It also has a nice aside on European mobile phone table etiquette. Very funny – check out the graphic. He has more funny comparisons in a follow-on article.
Link [thanks Franklin!]: Mobile Opportunity: What if Palm made a smartphone and nobody cared?.
These must be frustrating times for the people at Palm.
The company recently pre-announced that it’s creating a 3G Treo for sale through Vodafone later this year. This was a very important breakthrough for Palm. It has been trying for years to get broader distribution for its smartphones in Europe, without great success. Now the world’s largest mobile operator is embracing the company, and saying specifically that it’ll offer the new Treo in at least the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. That’s a huge increase in reach for Palm, and it should help to produce incremental sales for the company.
What was Wall Street reaction to the announcement? Nothing. No change at all in the company’s stock price.
