10 Ways Palm Could Make a Comeback in the Mobile World
10 Ways Palm Could Make a Comeback in the Mobile World
Palm is working on a refresh of its Pre and Pixi software to compete more
effectively in the mobile space. An update to its WebOS, which is scheduled to
be released Feb. 26, would deliver several features that folks have been
waiting for, including video capturing and editing. But all this talk about
Palm makes me wonder what the company can do to stage a comeback in a market
where it has been largely ineffectual.
The mobile business is dominated by Apple, Nokia and, to a lesser extent,
Google. When
Palm first announced the Pre, the company hoped that it could live up to
its hype. Some
even called the device an "iPhone killer." Months later, the Pre
is an also-ran in the marketplace. The device fell flat for several reasons,
including its original exclusivity to Sprint, battery issues and other software
quirks that made some folks turn against Palm's product. The Pixi has suffered
a similar outcome.
But it's not quite over for Palm. The company still has the ability to turn
things around if it can find a way to revolutionize its products and re-establish
itself as a major player in the market. It won't be easy. But there are some
strategies it can follow.
1. Revamp the Pre
The Palm Pre is in desperate need of attention. The device pales in
comparison to the iPhone. It's not only oddly designed, but it lacks the
"wow" value that the iPhone has. In a space where Palm is attempting
to compete with Apple, that's a major problem. To turn things around, Palm
needs to go back to the drawing board with the Pre and deliver a revision that
reflects the current design requirements consumers have.
2. Work on WebOS
WebOS has quickly turned out to be more trouble than it's worth for Palm.
The operating system seemed like a fine idea to differentiate the product in
the beginning, but it didn't resonate with consumers. Palm needs to take a step
back and evaluate what's really needed in WebOS and eliminate all the rest.
Multitasking is a must-have, but whether or not the software is really capable
of competing against other devices on the market is very much up for debate.
3. Remember Apple's App Store
Developing
applications for Palm's OS makes little sense. Currently, Apple has more
than 140,000 applications available in its store. Palm has a fraction of that
number of apps available for its platform and it has WebOS to blame. Developers
want to be able to easily port applications from one platform to another. They
can do that between the iPhone and Android. They can't do that with Palm's
operating system. Until Palm addresses that major problem, it can't expect to
gain ground in the mobile market.
4. Stick with multiple carriers
Whatever gave Palm the idea to lock the Pre to Sprint's network at its
launch is anyone's guess. It was a major blunder. Going forward, Palm needs to
continue to offer its devices on multiple carriers. Having
the Pre and Pixi on Verizon's network is a good first step, but it can't
lose sight of the value of ubiquity. I understand that Palm wanted consumers to
believe that it was following an iPhone-like strategy, thus making it a real
iPhone competitor, but it didn't work. Palm's Pre needs to be carrier-agnostic.
Palm Must Follow an Independent Path
5. Look toward the enterprise
6. Remember the situation
As Palm looks ahead at what its strategy should be, the
company needs to be fully aware of the peril of its situation. Prior to the
release of the Pre, some folks wondered how much longer the company really had
left. It was losing ground at a rapid rate and it had no phones to compete in
the touch-screen market. It does now. But those phones just aren't cutting it.
Palm needs to stay focused on what it can do to turn things around and do
whatever it can to achieve its goals. The company is out of options.
7. Stay true to Palm
At the same time, Palm needs to be Palm. Part of the allure of Palm
products in the past was that they offered a unique take on mobile computing.
They didn't simply follow the competition's lead for the sake of making a few
extra bucks. Palm was a unique company and it made its name off of that. It can
still be unique and deliver a compelling product, but it needs to be more aware
of what consumers and the enterprise really want.
8. Consider licensing WebOS
Licensing WebOS would only work if Palm fixed its platform first, but there
is an opportunity for the company to license its software to other phone
vendors and perhaps some electronics makers. It might be difficult for Palm to
license WebOS, since both Microsoft and Google have cornered that market, but
if the company feels that it can't compete with its own hardware and it can
drastically improve its WebOS, it needs to give it a shot. It's a last option
for sure, but it might be a good one if things go sour.
9. Better marketing, please
Palm's advertising strategy has been abysmal. It has failed to capture what
the Pre and Pixi are all about, and it hasn't done anything to drum up
excitement for its products. That's one way Apple bests the entire market. An
iPhone ad is simple but effective at informing the public on why it needs an
iPhone. If Palm really wants its own products to be successful, it needs to
deliver a similar advertising experience. Motorola was able to pull it off with
the Droid. Palm needs to do it with the Pre and Pixi.
10. Forget about the iPhone
Palm needs to totally forget that there is an iPhone competing against its Pre.
When the company first announced the Pre, it made it all too clear that it was
gunning for Apple. In the mobile business so far, that's a death knell. Palm
needs to distance its device from the iPhone and attempt to sell the
consumers and organizations that want nothing to do with Apple's device. The
iPhone gets all the attention in the smartphone space, but there really is a
profitable market out there for companies that don't attempt to be an iPhone
competitor. Palm should consider it.
