14 DAY TRIAL // Along with the unveiling of HP Pre3, HP Veer and HP TouchPad, computer maker Hewlett Packard also announced its plans regarding existing devices running under the webOS operating system at an event held yesterday, February 9th. According to the company, the Pre 2 smartphone, which made its debut last year in France, and which is already available for purchase in the United States in an unlocked, GSM flavor, is set to become available for pre-order at Verizon Wireless in the US starting today.
The CDMA version of the smartphone was announced officially last year, but it seems that HP actually needed several months before it was able to make it available on the market.
However, today, when many users in the US will head to Verizon's stores for the acquisition of an iPhone, enthusiasts have the possibility to reserve one Pre 2 smartphone with CDMA connectivity on board.
Along with a faster processor when compared to the previous models, the new device also brings forth the webOS 2.0 mobile operating system, exclusively available on it at the moment.
Apparently, those who would like to taste this OS iteration would have to purchase a Pre 2 smartphone, or a newer device, running under webOS 2.2, as older handsets won't receive it.
According to HP's Jon Rubinstein, older devices do not come with the hardware configuration necessary for running the newer webOS 2.0 platform version, and the company decided to leave them outside any upgrade plans.
All Palm Pre, Pre Plus, Pixi and Pixi Plus smartphones fall in this category, and none of them would be blessed with the new OS version.
Undoubtedly, many users were expecting for a software update to be released for their devices in the near future, and they will certainly be disappointed learning that HP scrapped such plans, but, as Engadget notes, HP still has something up its sleeve for them, and more info on this would emerge as the newly unveiled products hit the market.