Palm Pre launching two days before Apple's WWDC announcement?
We finally have a date for the release of the Palm Pre. Everyone will be running out to buy the much anticipated phone on Saturday, June 6 -- or will they? The release comes just two days before the Worldwide Developers Conference where Apple may be announcing new iPhone hardware and/or software (nothing is confirmed yet, but the rumors are flying). So, will that have people waiting until after the WWDC to buy the Pre in anticipation of the iPhone news?
In any case, the Palm Pre will be available for $199.99 with a two-year Sprint contract and a $100 mail-in rebate. The Pre's direct competitor, the iPhone, costs the same amount for an 8GB, and you don't have to deal with the rebate. But, the Pre's service plan is less expensive than the iPhone's, so maybe people will just deal with the Pre's mail-in rebate.
When buying a Palm Pre, you have to add either an Everything Data plan, or a Business Essentials with Messaging and Data plan, which start at $70. Sprint's Everything Data plan includes unlimited data, messaging, and 450 minutes for $69.99, or 900 minutes for $89.99 a month. AT&T makes you pay extra for text messaging; the iPhone equivalent of the $90, 900-minute Pre plan costs $109.99 -- a whole $20 more per month.
The Palm Touchstone and Touchstone back cover for will also be available on launch day for $50 and $20, respectively.
We'll have to wait and see how the Palm Pre sells, or will people sit with bated breath waiting for news about a new iPhone?
Read the full press release here.