The new device is said to come without a QWERTY to leave more room for the screen

Jan 13, 2009 14:23 GMT  ·  By

Only a few days after the Palm Pre running the company's new webOS has been unveiled, we learn that the operating system might also be used on a new Centro handset reported to be in the works at Palm. The rumors point towards a possible Centro 2 to be released in Fall 2009, citing what is called “a seemingly reliable firsthand source.”

According to the news, the upcoming device will keep the current Centro style and is reported to also be heading to Sprint. Some voices over the Web would rather consider the rumor as being far from reality, given the fact that Palm is not likely to release two devices so close to one another. On the other hand, the company is struggling to move into a more competitive position and this might be part of its strategy to do that.

Palm will probably come to the market with a new Centro handset that would feature its new webOS, yet it is expected to do so at a rather later date. Considering that Pre will only come later this year, by fall Palm is expected to have its hands busy with delivering the device around the world, meaning that it is unlikely to see the company focused on releasing a new phone for Sprint.

What could also be interesting about these rumors is the fact that they point towards a handset that would not feature a QWERTY keyboard, as a means of offering more space for the screen, so that the various icons and cards that form the basis of webOS could be at large on it.

In related news, Palm is rumored to prepare a touchscreen-only candybar as the next device to feature the new webOS, yet these rumors are also hard to believe. Nevertheless, it seems that Palm's Pre and its operating system have made a good impression on everybody, which can be considered a rather great thing for the company.