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The Smartphone manufacturing game is a tough cookie to crumble and without relentless innovation and breathtaking design it is almost impossible to have worldwide success with every device launched. Unfortunately many manufacturers over saturate the market with device line ups rather than focusing on just a handful of devices. For Palm, they have incorporated a smaller and more select lineup, but unfortunately the innovation and design has been a bit stagnant with little changing on their devices since the Treo 600 years ago. The end result has left Palm with a loss of US$506.2 million in the second quarter of its fiscal year, compared to a loss of just $8.85 million a year ago.
“We’re working through an undeniably difficult period,” said Ed Colligan, Palm president and chief executive officer, “but near-term challenges shouldn’t overshadow the fact that we are on track to deliver a breakthrough new platform and products that will bring a truly differentiated smartphone experience to our customers and reestablish Palm as a leading innovator in the mobile industry.”
Despite these financial woes the long awaited Nova Operating System, Palm’s answer to the aging Palm OS, is set to take center stage at CES 2009 Las Vegas in January. Along with the next-generation OS, Palm is also planning to unveil its next lineup of Smartphones which hopefully will showcase the creative touch we once saw from the manufacturer. Something else to keep in mind is that in June Palm hired former Apple executive Jon Rubinstein to lead product development. His role in leading development on the iMac and iPod during the late 1990′s is exactly what Palm needs to succeed. [Palm Press Release]
