Sprint expects to have the handset in stock by that time

Feb 5, 2009 09:47 GMT  ·  By

According to the latest news on the Web, Palm's recently unveiled Pre handset might come to Sprint, the carrier that will have it exclusively at launch, come March. A recently leaked End of Life sheet from the mobile phone operator shows that Sprint expects to have the device in stock on March 15. At the same time, Pre is showed as replacing the Palm 755P in the carrier's lineup.

As many of you already know, Palm unveiled the Pre at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month, and the device was back then announced for a release in mid-2009. The fact that it will reach Sprint in March does not necessarily mean that it will also get launched at that time. The Palm 755P will end its life cycle in May, and the operator might wait first to empty its stock before launching the Pre.

On the other hand, the sheet can be considered a clear indicator of the fact that Palm won't delay the Pre. For comparison, the Treo Pro, which has been reported to be launched in late February, is expected to get to the carrier on the 15th this month, as a replacement for 800w, which should end its life in April. This could mean that the Pre will be launched close to its target in-stock date of 3/15.

The EOL sheet from Sprint has emerged on Boy Genius Report, and it might look a little confusing due to the fact that some of the devices listed there have already been released, yet the dates in the future next to them might show that the handsets should fill any gaps left by the corresponding EOL device. Take a look at Sprint's EOL list for this year, just as it surfaced at BGR:

Device Name - Projected Warehouse EOL - Replacement (if available)

Sierra Compass 597 USB - Early February - Sierra 598 USB Motorola ic602 - Early February LG 160 - Mid-February - Samsung M220 LG Rumor (blue) - Mid February - LG 265 Rumor II (target in-stock 2/15) Motorola i325IS - Mid February - Motorola i365IS LG Rumor (green) - Mid March - LG 265 Rumor II (target in-stock 2/15) Franklin Wireless U680 USB - Early April Palm 800W - April - Palm Treo Pro (target in-stock 2/15) LG Rumor (black) - Mid April - LG 265 Rumor II (target in-stock 2/15) Motorola i615 - Mid April Samsung M520 Lumina - Mid April - LG LX370 (slider) RIM BlackBerry Pearl (red) - May LG LX400 - Late May Palm 755P (blue) - Late May - Palm Pre (target in-stock 3/15) Sanyo 6750 Eclipse (pink) - June Palm Centro (berry) - June Motorola Q9C - Mid June Sierra 597E - July - Sierra 2-in-1 Aircard Palm Centro (green) - July Palm Centro refresh (black) - July Motorola VE20 - July HTC Touch Diamond - July RIM BlackBerry 7100i - August - RIM BlackBerry 8350i