As Noah correctly said in his article earlier in the week, there are business decisions that Palm could have implemented to make the Pre and Pixi more of a success in the US market. We both agree, however, that webOS is one of the best (if not the best, in his case) operating systems out there. It's refreshing, innovative, and among other things, you can multitask with it.
That being said, is it going too far to say that the company may not be around in 2020? According to MSN Money, it's not. In 7 companies that may not see 2020, business columnist Michael Brush thinks that the company is unlikely to rebound. In a nutshell, here are his primary reasons:
- Apple iPhones have a look on coolness. Compared to 100,000+ apps on the iPhone, Palm users only have about 400 to choose from.
- The business demographic still prefers BlackBerry devices.
- Google is hitting the market with force, thanks to distributing their OS at a very low cost.
- Palm only maintains a 7 percent market share.
- Sprint was a poor partner to launch their revitalized product with.
Despite my opposing viewpoint (that is, I do think Palm will continue on and be successful), I can understand some of the concerns mentioned in his article. But the "iPhone has a lock on coolness" comment caught me off guard. What in the world does that mean? I find it a bit funny that a business columnist is utliizing something like that as a reason why Palm won't be in business in ten years. To me, that's like saying that Apple won't penetrate the business demographic because businesses prefer strawberries instead of apples. Who dictates "coolness?"
Sure, it's not going to be an easy road for Palm. What started as a seemingly easy ride to the top became a fight to stay alive when they became stagnant in the smartphone arena. That being said, the company has fantastic leadership in Jon Rubinstein, an innovative OS, and are on a carrier that (likely) gives them a bit more freedom when it comes to negotiating. Sure, it's a decade away, but I don't see Palm going anywhere in the near future.
Via PreCentral, MSN Money