Centro Now Attracting New Smartphone Customers in 10 Countries
Worldwide
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) today announced that it has sold its
one-millionth Palm(R) Centro(TM) smartphone, demonstrating the $99
product's mass appeal to customers ready to get all the power of a
smartphone at the price of a traditional mobile phone.(1) Palm is now
shipping Centro in 10 countries worldwide, including Hong Kong,
Singapore, India, the UK, Germany, Spain, Ireland, France and Italy,
and its already-rapid momentum is set to grow as Palm debuts the
product in additional countries around the globe.
"The Palm Centro is flying off the shelves because users who want
to step up to a smartphone see it as the perfect first choice," said
Brodie Keast, senior vice president of marketing for Palm, Inc. "It
has everything a person needs to stay organized and connected with
everyone who is important to them. We're very excited about the
Centro's near-instant popularity in the U.S. and think it's going to
be a huge hit as it continues to make its way across the globe."
First introduced in the United States last September exclusively
with Sprint, and more recently introduced on AT&T in February, the
fully featured Centro smartphone is available from both carriers for
$99.99.(1) Centro has reached more young adults and women, as well as
a broader range of household income, than any prior Palm smartphone.
It offers customers an affordable, simple and fun option for staying
connected and doing more with their mobile phones.(2)
"Smartphones are certainly not new to business professionals;
however, now more than ever we are seeing consumers migrate toward
these types of devices as form factors have become more appealing and
price points are now competing with traditional mobile phones," said
Ryan Reith, senior research analyst with IDC. "Palm's Centro plays
right into the hands of the consumer looking for a more robust
experience on their mobile phone. We definitely expect to see this
trend continue worldwide."
Increasingly, consumers are making the shift from traditional
mobile phones to smartphones, motivated by the desire to do more with
their phones and the arrival of lower-cost devices. Smartphones
accounted for 11 percent of all mobile phone sales in 2007 in the
United States, and this is expected to increase to 35 percent by
2011.(3) A recent Palm survey of Centro customers highlighted this
trend, indicating that 70 percent are first-time smartphone users.
When compared to other Palm smartphones, Centro also is reaching
almost double the number of women, more than double the number of
customers under age 35, and nearly three times as many customers with
a household income of less than $75,000.
Centro's full QWERTY keyboard and color touch screen make it easy
to quickly type text messages, respond to emails, start instant
message conversations, browse the web and more. It offers all of the
great organizer functionality for which Palm is renowned, such as a
detailed and integrated contacts list and a simple and handy calendar
for juggling business meetings and get-togethers with friends.
More information about Palm Centro is available at
www.palm.com/centro.
About Palm, Inc.
Palm, Inc. is a global leader and innovator of easy-to-use mobile
products that simplify people's lives and help them stay connected on
the go. The company offers a range of products -- including Palm(R)
Treo(TM) and Centro(TM) smartphones, Palm handhelds, services and
accessories -- to meet the needs of consumers, mobile professionals
and businesses.
Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller
and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm
online stores (http://www.palm.com/store).
More information about Palm, Inc. is available at
http://www.palm.com.
(1) The Palm Centro from Sprint and AT&T is available for $99.99
after a two-year service agreement and available discounts and
promotions.
(2) Within wireless service coverage area only. Availability and
coverage depends upon carrier and the geographic scope of
international roaming agreements. Email, messaging and web access
requires data services from a mobile service provider at an additional
cost.
(3) Palm's Company Estimates based on IDC data.
Palm, Treo and Centro are among the trademarks or registered
trademarks owned by or licensed to Palm, Inc. All other brand and
product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify
products or services of, their respective owners.
A&R Edelman for Palm, Inc.
Zeenat Subedar, 650-762-2953
zsubedar@ar-edelman.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
