14 DAY TRIAL // Even though the mobile phone maker Palm hasn't released the Pre on the market just yet, it seems that the company might be looking ahead already, and the latest rumors on the Web claim that the company is readying another similar device for launch, and that said handset could hit the shelves before the end of the ongoing year.
The second Pre handset, says TechCrunch, won't come as a follower of Pre, given the fact that it should be released shortly after the high-end device sees the light on Sprint's airwaves, and it will be aimed at a different segment of the market.
Moreover, it is expected to be smaller, which could mean that it might be slimmer as well, though still running under the newly unveiled WebOS operating system Palm developed for Pre. There are not too many details on it at the moment, but it could resemble the upcoming Pre a lot, maybe even include the physical keyboard.
What would determine Palm to ready a smaller Pre with WebOS so soon after releasing the smartphone on the market is still unclear for now, but the move might be triggered by the rumors that Apple preps the release of an iPhone Nano, which could turn into a smaller variant of the popular device. Basically, Palm is now rumored to do the same as Apple with its products.
Hopefully this one won't remain in the rumor world, and a “Mini-Pre” will be spotted in the wild later this year (possibly as soon as fall). Until more details on this handset become available, if ever, we are still waiting for the actual Pre to hit the market, for Palm and Sprint seem to get close to the release date, though they are keeping the details locked up and no launch window has been officially announced so far.