Sprint Treo Pro: Reportedly getting RAM fix, almost ready to launch?

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

While we've known about that pesky Sprint Treo Pro delay for a few weeks now and that it had something to do with Sprint's certification process, up till now we had no idea exactly what was wrong.

According to PhoneNews, what is being fixed is that annoyingly low RAM that we've reported on previously and talked about in the Podcast.  In case you don't remember, the Treo Pro only has ~43 MB of free available RAM after a soft-reset, which is about 20 MB or so lower than its GSM cousin. 

HTC engineers have confirmed that the issue causing the continual delay of the Sprint Treo Pro lies in continuous ROM testing and certification to resolve a perpetual low free memory issue after many insiders discovered that the Treo Pro had ~40 MB of  free memory with no applications running, despite shipping with 256 MB of RAM.

Evidently the problem is this: The RAM on this device is on separate chips and Windows Mobile has problems recognizing this extra amount of memory – so it is physically there, just not being seen by the system. This mirrors some similar issues with HTC's Touch Pro (Verizon) and other original Touch devices, so it sounds very plausible.

At first, my initial assessment having used the device was that it wasn't too big of a deal. But with more extensive usage, I recanted on that notion: 40mb is too little for a 2009 device. Also, we should point out that the Treo Pro only has 128 MB of RAM (like the GSM version), not 256 MB. Although this begs the question: How does a device get so far in development without anyone noticing the extremely (and unusual) low amount of RAM? This isn't like some rare software bug but rather a standard and obvious device specification.  

Finally, we're getting word that some Sprint stores are getting re-stocked as we speak with new Treo Pros with the new ROM on board, so keep an eye out for those. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get my Treo Pro packed and ready to send to the HTC gods ;-)

Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson

Phil is the father of two beautiful girls and is the Dad behind Modern Dad. Before that he spent seven years at the helm of Android Central. Before that he spent a decade in a newsroom of a two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist newspaper. Before that — well, we don't talk much about those days. Subscribe to the Modern Dad newsletter!

9 Comments
  • 'Although this begs the question: How does a device get so far in development without anyone noticing the extremely (and unusual) low amount of RAM?'
    Perhaps HTC's understanding of quality-assurance?
    Sorry, but I'm currently using my 2nd HTC device, and I'm not too impressed with the quality.
  • Call me crazy, but does the Palm phone look dated? You can only round the corners but so much and spread the keys out and say that it's different (new).
  • What is the Sprint Treo Pro? LOL.... I feel like this device is so old (even though it hasnt even come out) that I am about to buy a Treo 300! (loved that silver flip phone)! Joeg
  • the q9c has 15 mbs open at startup....id kill for 40
  • If you had killed for 40 you soon be regretting not to have done it for 60+... ;-) the gsm tp runs just fine, I only had one memory issue when unning an early beta of opera mobile 9.
    And for the looks, I just had the opportunity to compare it to a touch pro, and somehow the touch looked a little aged (thick, relatively small display), while the treo looked a little too wide...
    I think, regarding form factors, we now have seen almost everything. Now it's time for refinement and (finally) usability improvements!
  • The Touch Pro has a small screen? Much larger than that treo with much higher resolution. I think the whole notion of another 128mb chip "hiding" in there is a stretch. Likely will be a refinement of the 128 available more into about 50-60 than 40.
  • The surface area is not really much more...
    I was quite unimpressed when I saw it.
    Touch HD is where you auctually can speak of usability imo.
  • My local BB is still selling the TP on 2/15...already confirmed today. What does that mean to the shipment they originally received?
  • No. No BestBuy store is selling them. Online orders are there for new units when they arrive. I called about six BB Stores and had them check. They checked with regional manager for me. They returned all stock ten days ago for flashing, every last one went back to Sprint, and they will be selling updated ones next week according to BB regional manager. They expect the new updated ones within days but have not yet received a single one at the regional warehouses.
    They track all inventory nationally by SKU, your best buy does not have them in stock, who ever said so was mistaken. The only stock in stores for the last five days has been returns. Those are not resold although they may show in store inventory before they go back.
    I know because I am dying for this phone since trying out the GSM model, but am on Sprint and my contract came up last week. It looks very good.