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Category: Palm
October 6th, 2009
Verizon-Google changes mobile landscape; Customers have real options again
I had to take a moment to pause and think about this new Google-Verizon chumminess and their common, yet unspoken, quest to go after the Apple-AT&T relationship with the iPhone that includes today’s partnership news and a new ad campaign.
For those who don’t know, I am a Verizon Wireless customer who is currently using a loaner Blackberry Tour. I am also one of the Apple faithful who would rather be using an iPhone but refuses to pay more than $100 a month for the hit-or-miss AT&T service. (But that’s a rant you can read in a previous post.)
What really clouds the issue for me is that I also like Google’s Android mobile OS. I have been carrying around an HTC MyTouch device running pre-paid T-Mobile service for a couple of months now. The service is OK, at best, but the user experience with the software - and the deep integration of Google’s services such as mail, maps and search - is second only to the iPhone (Blackberry has a long way to go, in my opinion).
Yes, I’m a bit torn now - but here’s the good news. I’m torn because I suddenly feel like I have options. Real options.
As my colleague Larry Dignan pointed out in his own post this morning, there has been a trade-off between cutting-edge devices and reliability as a Verizon Wireless customer. (Sorry, the Blackberry Storm didn’t make the cut as a cutting-edge device for me.) Like him, I also stuck by Verizon Wireless and its reliable service over the flashiest new devices. And, in all honesty, I’ve just been holding my breath, waiting for Verizon and Apple to bust out with an iPhone announcement the second that the AT&T-Apple exclusivity deal ends, rumored to be sometime next year.
October 6th, 2009
Palm developer program set for December lift-off
Palm said Tuesday that its webOS developer program will be open in December with “an unparalleled level of transparency” in a not-so-subtle dig at Apple.
- The company, which is playing catch-up with its application marketplace, opened its App Catalog beta program today (statement). In August, Palm told developers they could submit paid apps for the App Catalog.
- Among the key details of Palm’s developer program:
- There’s a 70/30 revenue split (Palm gets 30 percent).
- A $99 annual fee. That fee is waived if you submit an open source webOS application.
- Palm can provide a fulfillment service for developers for promotion.
- The company will review every application and developers will pay fee of $50 for each app.
- Palm is betting that rankings and other community features will be plentiful.
- Apps will be purchased with Visa and MasterCard.
October 5th, 2009
Adobe has the iPhone surrounded with Flash, but security headaches loom
Adobe’s announcements that a full version of Flash is coming to every smartphone not named Apple iPhone leave me conflicted. Full-blown Flash can be a boon to the mobile Web, but has the potential to become one huge security headache.
First the happy talk (Techmeme, Adobe statement): A public beta of Flash Player 10.1 will be coming to Windows Mobile and Palm’s WebOS later this year. Next year will bring Flash betas to Google Android and Symbian phones. Research in Motion is also working with Adobe. Multi-touch Flash, accelerometer perks and other mobile goodies abound.
And from an tech vendor art of war perspective, Adobe’s news that full Flash capabilities are coming to Windows Mobile phones, Palm, RIM and Google Android phones is very interesting. Apple is the last mobile handset holdout when it comes to Flash adoption. Sure, the two parties are kind of sorta talking about Flash on the iPhone—and have been for months—but the effort isn’t going anywhere. Can Adobe force iPhone adoption by delivering up a Flash-powered mobile utopia on the small screen?
And then you trip over the big honking negative: Security. From a user perspective, Flash your mobile phone may be nice, but can also be a big drag. The patches, the vulnerabilities, the frequent upgrades and the potential monoculture headaches. Monoculture for our purposes refers to one dominant technology that pervades multiple fronts. Windows is a monoculture. Flash is a monoculture. Anything that’s a standard is a monoculture. The problem with monocultures: You can attack them and cause a lot of collateral damage because there’s no diversity.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes nails it when he handicaps Adobe’s Open Screen Project that will be bringing full Flash to a mobile phone throughout 2010.
Flash Player is an absolute security nightmare on desktop PCs, and requiring endless updates. I’m not sure how thrilled I’d be to be faced with Flash Player updates on my smartphone every time I was to go browsing. If I’m paying per MB, on a dodgy connection (and chances are that one, if not both of these factors will come into play), I’d be even more upset. I know that the modern web relies heavily on Flash, but this announcement worries me because it’s creating a huge tech monoculture that’s ripe for attack. Unless Adobe is planning on beefing up security, this could be one of the worst things to happen to smartphone users.
Don’t believe Adrian. Check out the Flash vulnerability fiesta from Ryan Naraine and Dancho Danchev. Flash remains unpatched by most users, is frequently open to attack and outfits like Mozilla Firefox are trying to push folks to patch Flash for the greater good.
How many of you have bothered to patch anything on your mobile phone? Thought so.
And now we’re taking Flash to every screen. For Adobe, full-featured Flash on every mobile phone is huge. The rest of us may not be as thrilled about today’s happenings once the mundane processes such as frequent Flash patches take over.
October 5th, 2009
The Apple-Palm cat-and-mouse game: How long can it last? [poll]
I’m usually the last one to suggest that lawyers get involved in business disputes, largely because the only ones who win are the lawyers. I can’t help but wonder if it’s time for Apple’s legal team to step in and ask a judge to bring to an end - once and for all - this cat-and-mouse game between Palm and Apple over synchronization between iTunes and the Palm Pre.
Over the weekend, the Digital Daily blog reported that Palm’s latest smartphone software upgrade re-enabled (again) the iTunes sync feature, which has been repeatedly disabled by Apple with its own software updates to iTunes. And now, adding insult to injury, Palm has also included photo synchronization, too.
What makes this move by Palm especially bold is that USB Implementers Forum, an industry group that oversees the USB standard, recently sided with Apple after Palm turned to it to accuse Apple of “hampering competition” by blocking the sync feature. When Palm informed the USB-IF that it intended to use Apple’s USB vendor ID number to trick the software into thinking that the Pre is an Apple device, the group warned Palm that it could be in violation of the agency’s policy for unauthorized usage of a vendor ID number.
Also see: Palm, not Apple, deserves black eye for iTunes sync confusion
USB-IF. Vendor numbers. Blah blah blah. I think Palm wants to get this issue into the courts - either a court of law or the courts of public opinion. There have long been critics who’ve accused Apple of being monopolistic because of the closed relationship between hardware (iPods and iPhones in this instance) and the software (iTunes). Trying to get the court of public fired up should be no problem. The blogosphere - and its readers - are just waiting for a debate like this so they can slam/defend the beloved/despised Apple.
When it comes to the legal courts, Mac clone maker Psystar has a legal jumpstart of more than a year with its own battle about the closed relationship between Macs and Apple’s computer operating system, OS X. Despite the back and forths in the Apple-Psystar case, Psystar continues to offer a good fight.
Can the Palm-Apple cat-and-mouse game go until the Psystar case is settled? Apple can surely hold out. But can Palm? At some point, either Apple or Palm has to come out on the losing end. But in the meantime, the only ones who lose are the owners of Palm devices. Syncing their devices with iTunes has become a crap shoot - and that can’t make them very happy with the device or the experience.
Loading ...September 30th, 2009
Podcast: Is $99 the new $199 for smartphones?
Here’s our first installment of a joint ZDNet-TechRepublic podcast called the Big Question. In it, we—Jason Hiner, Bill Detwiler and I—pick apart the following:
- RIM’s prospects in a price war;
- Palm as an acquisition target;
- And how the smartphone-feature phone lines are blurring so every phone is “smart.”
You can play this 21-minute episode from the Flash-based player at the top of the page or you can download the MP3 or grab it via RSS:
In October we’ll also be launching the podcast in iTunes and the Zune Marketplace.
September 28th, 2009
Could Microsoft fix Windows Mobile by buying Palm?
This is an excerpt of an article from ZDNet’s sister site, TechRepublic.
Consolidation is coming to the smartphone market. It’s simply a matter of when and how.
There are six big platforms vying for mainstream acceptance, and the market is likely to start weeding that number down to three to four over the next several years as all mobile phones become smartphones and as smartphones start replacing PCs for some users.
The platforms in the strongest position are the Apple iPhone and RIM’s BlackBerry. The platforms that have some momentum but are still vulnerable are Google Android and Palm webOS. The platforms that are most at risk and are struggling the most technologically are Nokia’s Symbian and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile.
The first major consolidation move could involve Palm. The company has been rumored as a buyout target for years. However, after struggling to survive while rebuilding its platform under the leadership of former Apple executive Jon Rubinstein, Palm has had a big year in 2008 with the arrival of its new webOS and the launch of its first webOS device, the Palm Pre.
Despite the fact that the Pre and the webOS have been warmly received by users and the press, Palm still faces challenges. In June, the Pre was launched exclusively with Sprint, the weakest of the U.S. carriers and an acquisition target itself. While Palm aggressively marketed the Pre with its modest resources, Sprint has not been nearly as aggressive.
Source: TechRepublic: Microsoft should buy Palm to resurrect Windows Mobile
September 25th, 2009
RIM signals price war potential; Fallout could be substantial
Research in Motion’s second quarter sounded alarm bells and may have signaled a smartphone price war, according to analysts. The company’s contention that it would target a ‘more mainstream’ market was viewed as a sign that average selling prices would fall for multiple vendors.
The scenario for the fourth quarter outlook for smartphone makers is clear: The vendor that is able to hold pricing wins. The problem: Buzz and mindshare may be highly overrated when it comes to maintaining smartphone prices. The good news: What’s bad for vendors may be good for you—especially if $99 becomes the new $199 for smartphones.
RIM delivered a dud of a quarter where fiscal second quarter fell short of Wall Street estimates as did the third quarter outlook. As reported, RIM was hammered in afterhours trading and shares are falling further on Friday.
J.P. Morgan analyst Paul Coster highlights the fallout from RIM’s quarter:
September 24th, 2009
Report: Verizon says no to Palm Pre
If a report on TheStreet.com is to believed, things just took a turn for the worst for Palm.
TheStreet, citing “people close to the discussions,” is reporting that Verizon has had a change of heart about carrying the Palm Pre, a smartphone that was scheduled to arrive in January. Currently, the Pre is sold exclusively through Sprint - but the carrier’s struggle to compete with powerhouses AT&T and Verizon hasn’t helped Palm sell enough Pre smartphones to make an impression.
The sources also told TheStreet.com that Verizon may order a small number of Pres but offer little marketing of them. Instead, Verizon is focused on new Blackberry products as well as those built on the new Google Android operating system.
For Palm, the news could be devastating. The company said in its last earnings call that it was focusing all of its efforts on the new WebOS, which so far consists of the Pre and smaller Pixi. Part of its growth strategy included bringing its devices to other carriers.
Shares of Palm plummeted in the final minutes of regular trading, shortly after TheStreet’s report was published. Shares closed at $16.16, down nearly 5 percent.
Also see:
September 24th, 2009
Smartphones: Is image really everything?
If you want to conquer the smartphone market there’s a clear recipe to follow. Be smart, add a lot of hip and cool and stir in productivity. Bake in some marketing buzz and you can hold pricing and become a signature smartphone.
That’s the big takeaway from a report from Interpret LLC. The report, highlighted by Engadget and others, has been used as a data point in the revival of Palm. For instance, Palm rose off of its deathbed with the Pre and now is second in mindshare to the iPhone.
But if you’ve noticed Palm’s latest quarter and lumpy outlook you’ll find mindshare isn’t exactly everything. Price points, margins and sheer volume matter. Palm is a player courtesy of the Pre, but it remains to see if it can keep the hits coming. Nevertheless, it’s worth addressing the mindshare issue since it clearly saved Palm, which has been able to raise capital.
If you buy into Interpret’s findings it’s clear that smartphones are increasingly becoming fashion phones. The big question—left unaddressed by the report—is how long a mindshare edge can last. The question is huge when you consider that Palm may be a 2009 story, but there are no guarantees for 2010. Meanwhile, Motorola may be poised to be the mindshare gainer in 2010.
Interpret states in its report:
September 23rd, 2009
Palm tattles on Apple, finds itself in the hot seat instead
No one likes a tattle-tale. But there is a bit of satisfaction that comes when the tables turn on the tattler.
That’s what happened to Palm this week when it ratted out Apple to the USB Implementers Forum, an industry group that oversees the USB standard. Palm, you’ll recall, marketed the Pre smartphone as being compatible with iTunes synchronization. Shortly after, Apple stepped in with an “I don’t think so” and tweaked the software to disable it. Apple tells Palm to cut it out but Palm doesn’t give up, issuing tweaks to re-enable the sync feature on the Pre, followed by yet another tweak by Apple to block it again.
I love where this story goes from here.
September 23rd, 2009
Palm raises $313 million; Bolsters war chest
Palm on Wednesday said it raised $313 million from its public offering of 20 million shares. Palm shares showed strong demand by pricing at $16.25 a share.
Last week, Palm said it would float more shares to bolster its cash position. When Palm delivered its first quarter results shares bounced around in the $14 to $15 range. All things considered, Palm’s pricing (statement) was about as good as it gets.
Palm added that underwriters—Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and RBC Capital—have a 30-day option to buy 3 million additional shares. If that option is exercised Palm may get a few more dollars out of the deal.
Many companies—banks, airlines and a bevy of others—have used the recent stock market run-up to float more shares and bolster their balance sheets.
Palm said it will use the proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes. As of Aug. 31, Palm had $212 million in cash and short-term investments. The additional $313 million will come in handy as Palm aims to roll out more WebOS devices.
September 21st, 2009
Palm's growth plan: Can it work in a changing mobile market?
When Palm announced a new mobile operating system - WebOS - and plans for the first smartphone built on it - the Pre - at the Consumer Electronics Show back in January, the company became the darling of the industry. Here, after all, was the company whose name was once synonymous with mobile computing and it was gearing up for a new offering in the space it helped build.
But a funny thing happened in the time between the announcement and the actual delivery of the Palm’s new OS and device. Other players in this quickly-getting-crowded space were making announcements of their own, taking some of the steam out of Palm’s big splash.
Apple’s iPhone is still going strong, despite criticisms about its exclusivity with AT&T in the U.S. Research in Motion has enhanced the Blackberry lines with touch screens, sleek designs in fun colors and even a buy-one, get-one-free promo through Verizon. And Google’s Android is gearing up for a bigger presence among mobile carriers next year, thanks in part to manufacturers like Motorola, which is basically wagering the turnaround for a struggling handset division on the OS.
So where does that leave Palm?
September 17th, 2009
Palm: 823,000 smartphone units shipped; Outlook lumpy
Palm’s first quarter had multiple moving parts. The company shipped 823,000 smartphones, announced plans to raise capital, beat estimates, delivered a mixed outlook and said the company’s fortunes will be tied to product launches.
Got all that?
The big question, however, remains. Can the Palm Pre smartphone turn things around for the troubled company? Investors, looking beyond today’s earnings release, are certainly hoping so.
In its release of first quarter results, the company noted that it shipped 823,000 smartphone units during the quarter, a 134 percent increase over last quarter but a year-over-year decrease of 30 percent. Smartphone sell-through for the quarter was 810,000 units, up 76 percent from the most recent quarter but down 21 percent year-over-year. (Statement)
In addition, Palm said it will offer 16 million shares to raise more cash. Elevation Partners will buy $35 million worth of Palm shares at the offering price.
For its first quarter, Palm reported a Non-GAAP net loss of $13.6 million, or 10 cents per share, on revenue of $360.7 million. Wall Street analysts had been expecting a loss of 24 cents on $306.5 million in revenue.
But the numbers aren’t so black-and-white (see Palm’s 5-page PDF on the non-GAAP reconciliation). Palm’s financials were muddled with the GAAP comparisons as the company moves to subscription accounting related to the Pre. On a GAAP basis, the company reported a loss of $2.8 million on revenue of $68 million. Palm explains its accounting methodology like this:
These results include the effects of subscription accounting applied to Palm webOS products as required by GAAP. In accordance with this methodology, revenues and direct cost of revenues for Palm webOS products (currently Palm Pre smartphone) are deferred and recognized over the product’s estimated economic life.
On a conference call with analysts, company chairman and CEO Jon Rubenstein played up launch of the WebOS mobile operating system and the launch of the Pre, noting that the company can now shift from rollout of the OS and focus on expanding it to additional devices and more carriers. Rubenstein called it a “landmark quarter” and said that the launch of Pre and WebOS showcased Palm’s vision and potential.
Moving forward, the company will focus all efforts on the new operating system and the rollout of new devices among multiple carriers and pointed to the second half of fiscal year 2010 for news on that front. In addition, executives also have their sights set on the enterprise market, noting that enhancement for compatibility with Microsoft Exchange positions them to compete on that front.
The company also announced a new marketing strategy, noting that it’s split efforts into two - one focused on promoting devices, with another emphasizing brand.
Still, Palm’s outlook also was lumpy. The company projected non-GAAP revenue for the second quarter of $240 million to $270 million. Wall Street was looking for $346 million. For the year, Palm projected non-GAAP revenue of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion. Wall Street was projecting $1.57 billion.
In other words, Palm is expecting a strong year with lumpy quarters due “the timing and scale of expected product launches in Palm’s second fiscal quarter compared to those which took place in Palm’s first fiscal quarter, and due to lower anticipated demand for legacy products.”
Add it up and the reaction to Palm’s quarter was predictable—folks weren’t sure what to make of it.
September 10th, 2009
No Pixi dust for Palm?
Palm’s second webOS phone, the Pixi, looks like a good follow up to the Pre, but analysts aren’t expecting any Pixi dust for the company’s financials.
The Pixi, which is expected to retail for $99 or so after rebates, will arrive for the holidays. Palm will talk the Pixi as a fashion accessory (nevermind it may not be much of a looker). Sprint landed the exclusive.
So what’s the financial picture here? Analysts are mixed on the Pixi (see gallery).
For starters, the Pixi will replace Palm’s Centro. Palm is thinking that the Pixi and a Pre price cut to $150 after rebates will push more webOS-based smartphones in the market.
Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Walkley writes:
September 9th, 2009
Palm launches Pixi, second webOS phone
Palm on Wednesday rolled out the Pixi, a small webOS-based phone that’s the follow-up to the Pre.
Reports began leaking out about the Pixi on Tuesday and Palm later delivered a statement and blog post (Techmeme).
Gallery: Palm Pixi photos
The Pixi is a thin device with a visible keyboard. It will run on Sprint. The focus of the device revolves around messaging—it links information from Google, Facebook and Exchange while integrating with Yahoo and LinkedIn.
Facebook will also contribute a new application to interact with the Pixi, which will be showcased at Fashion Week in New York.
Among the other details:
- Pixi will have various covers for the fashion conscious;
- Pixi will synch with iTunes and allow music purchase from Amazon over the air;
- It’s 3.51 ounces;
- 8GB of storage;
- The device will run you $149.99 with a two year service contract after a $150 instant rebate and $100 mail-in rebate.
September 8th, 2009
Smartphone apps are the technology world's new gold rush
There’s a lot of hyperbole about the expected growth of smartphones over the next three to five years, especially when you consider that in 2009 smartphones represent just 15% of total mobile phone sales. But, the X factor that’s changing the game and creating one of the hottest new trends in technology is smartphones evolving into an application platform.
The smartphone has arrived where it is today by taking the mobile phone and adding a qwerty keyboard plus “push” email and calendar functionality. But, the success of Apple’s iPhone App Store has demonstrated is that simple, functionality-focused applications can unlock a wealth of additional usefulness in the smartphone. Now, the race is on, as mobile vendors and application developers elbow each other in the ribs to gain an advantage in this potentially massive opportunity to capture audience, influence, and revenue.
Apple ran this ad after the App Store hit the 1 billion download mark on April 23, 2009.
Here comes the smartphone
September 8th, 2009
Mobile management software improving - but watch for platform support
If there’s one area where companies can - and should be - pinching pennies, it’s on smartphones.
Today, another player in the Web-based mobile management software game, called Zenprise, is beefing its portfolio with a version update that includes security management and expense management modules. I’ve written in the past about how IT departments can benefit from mobile management software if they’re really looking to re-gain control over something that’s becoming unruly.
Think about it: some devices are company-issued while others are employee-owned. Increasingly, Blackberry isn’t the only platform in use - the iPhone is out there, as well as phone running Palm, Windows Mobile and others. And, employees are doing more than just e-mail. They’re also surfing the Web, running apps, streaming music and video, tweeting and even playing games. Sometimes those actions can impact the monthly service bill. In a worst-case scenario, the employees may be giving hackers a back-door entrance into the company network from a Web-connected phone.
Zenprise seems to have a good understanding for the various scenarios that come with managing the mobile devices and service plans for companies. The security features include remote wipe and lock, as well as the ability to disable features such as camera use if company policy prohibits it.
But the other players in this space, including Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services, are offering many of the same services - so it’s getting tougher to figure out which one is best, especially because the needs vary from company to company. One area I’m watching, though, is the platforms that these mobile management software companies are supporting. Zenprise, for example, supports Blackberry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Palm.
Hey, what about Google’s Android? The company says it’s watching Android but doesn’t support it now. During a briefing, I kind of dinged them about that, largely because the mobile space is one that’s constantly changing. If a company wants to be the software provider of the entire mobile management services for a company, it needs to be flexible enough to adapt for the changes.
Sure, Android is a small player now - but Motorola, for example, is betting the farm on it with a rollout of more than a dozen new Android devices worldwide before the end of the year. If these companies offering a full suite of mobile management services expects to be a contender and simplify the processes within an IT department, then it needs to come to the table with a full suite.
Zenprise’s MobileManager 5.0 upgrade will be available next month.
September 4th, 2009
10 things you can do while waiting for the Palm Pre to boot
I’m always shopping for smartphones—even though I have a year left on my Verizon Wireless contract—so whenever someone has a device I may want I pay attention. That’s why I was shocked by the slow boot time of the Palm Pre.
Yes, I know that slow Palm Pre boot times aren’t news. Nearly every review makes note of it and most say the boot time can be overlooked. Matthew Miller details the slow Pre boot in his review and 14 minute long video.
But given the Pre is coming to Verizon Wireless I was interested in Andrew Mager’s Pre. My conclusion is that the slow startup time may be a deal breaker for me. Why? I had a slow startup time device with my old Windows Mobile smartphone and I’m scarred for life. Meanwhile, this question always lingers: What if I can’t wait to make a call, say 911, and I’m waiting for this thing to boot?
On the bright side, there are other things you can do while you’re waiting for the Palm Pre to boot. In the spirit of a Friday rant, here are 10 things you can do while you wait. For the record, I timed the Pre boot process so you’ll have nearly 3 minutes to fill.
1. Sing all the theme songs of all the shows your kids watch. Below is my rendition of the Wonder Pets theme (I could have worked in Dora, Sesame Street and maybe even a little Hannah Montana).
2. Have sex (quite possibly an optimistic time assumption).
3. Run a quarter mile at a plodding pace.
4. Woof down a cheeseburger.
5. Drink a pint of Guinness.
6. Write this thoughtful blog post.
8. Watch 30 seconds worth of an NFL game.
9. Wait for your Windows PC to restart (my Windows XP machine).
10. Boot Snow Leopard, send email and shut it down (2:54 as timed on Jason Hiner’s machine).
Write-ins welcome…
September 3rd, 2009
Is the Palm Pre a failure?
Is the Palm Pre smartphone a failure?
Town Hall Investment Research analyst David Eller wrote in a research note this morning that sales of the Pre “are continuing to slow,” and “likely will come in dramatically below” Sprint’s supposed target of 1 to 1.5 million customers for the year, writes Barron’s Eric Savitz.
Eller estimates the company selling 416,000 units in the August quarter overall, down from a previous estimate of 488,000, Savitz writes.
For the November quarter, Eller said he expects the company to ship 785,000 units.
Why the drop? Eller writes that it’s not so much what Palm accomplished (plenty) so much as its “overly ambitious expectations in the face of a weak retail spending environment, competition from the iPhone 3Gs” and the inability for Palm’s App Catalog to thrive in the shadow of Apple’s App Store.
Missing these targets means that Palm, despite its innovations with the Palm hardware and webOS operating system, is less desirable as a company to acquire.
WebOS is “good but not mature enough for developers,” Eller writes.
Eller also estimates that the Pre has also faced strong competition from Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Tour.
My takeaways from Eller’s note:
August 20th, 2009
Apple, Palm rivalry redux: Poaching examined
Former Palm CEO Ed Colligan reportedly rebuffed Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who wanted to prevent Palm from hiring his employees.
According to a Bloomberg report , Colligan rejected a proposal from Jobs to refrain from poaching each other’s employees. The August 2007 missive between Jobs and Colligan came shortly after Palm hired former Apple exec Jon Rubinstein.
As we all know Rubinstein was instrumental in developing the Palm Pre and its WebOS and is now CEO.
Also see: Palm hopes high with Rubinstein at the helm
There are a few threads to ponder here.
First, the communication is notable given the U.S. Justice Department is looking into possible hiring collusion among tech companies.
But more importantly, Apple saw the potential threat from Palm early. For Jobs to worry about Rubinstein poaching employees so quickly is notable. For starters, Palm was the much weaker company so how many employees could Rubinstein realistically poach? As far as resources go, there’s no doubt that Apple is infinitely stronger.
Indeed, Colligan noted in his note to Jobs that Apple poached 2 percent of Palm’s workforce when it was developing the iPhone. Bloomberg couldn’t find the exact details of what Jobs proposed to Colligan.
The two companies are increasingly competitive. To wit:
- Palm is courting developers for its app marketplace
- Palm recently hired Apple veteran Jeff Zwerner to head brand design
- And there are skirmishes over the the iTunes sync for Pre.
Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and Editorial Director of ZDNet sister site TechRepublic. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
For daily updates, follow Larry on Twitter.
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- The Impact of Virtualization Software on Operating Environments VMware Today's use of virtualization technology allows IT professionals to ... Download Now
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