The Treo Pro -- Brought to you by HTC? (Updated)

By WC Staff
last updated

Put your rumormonger hats on with us for a moment, although the big reveal of what we're thinking is already clear from the headline.

  1. As noted in the NYT article we referenced earlier, Palm Exec John Rubenstein cancelled some Treos not too long ago.
  2. The Treo Pro looks nothing like the Treo 800w
  3. The Treo Pro has a battery that's nothing like batteries Palm has used in the past. In fact, it looks an awful lot like the battery on the HTC Mogul. See a good image of the Treo Pro Battery here, and the HTC Mogul Battery here. They're not identical (the leads are in different places), but they're the same basic shape, mAh, and even have the same indentations.
  4. The Treo Pro sports the HTC Task Manager on the Today Screen.

Palm hasn't said who actually manufactures (the ODM) the Treo Pro, but the question we're aiming for here is who was primarily responsible for the "Thoughtful Design of the Treo Pro?" Could it be that the Treo that Rubenstein cancelled was the original Treo 850? If he did, how did Palm design the Treo Pro so quickly afterwards?

Our guess, if you haven't gathered yet: there was must have been some collaboration on design between Palm and HTC. There are still Palm touches aplenty here -- the Centro keyboard, Ringer Switch, and WiFi button prove that. On the other hand, we have an HTC-esque power button, battery, and let's be honest here: HTC's been able to design the innards in such a way as to make thin phones in a way that Palm just hasn't.

So we kinda sorta a wee-little-bit suspect that, hardware-wise, the Treo Pro is Palm on the outside, HTC on the inside.

Crazy? Crazy like a fox.

Update: Yep, HTC is indeed the ODM for the Treo Pro [via]. Sounds like another piece of confirming evidence about the design of the Treo Pro. That leaves only one question hanging out there -- what exactly did Palm order 5 million of from Compal>

WC Staff
WC Staff
27 Comments
  • The Treo Pro is the least Palm-esque WM Treo we've seen so far. Maybe not a bad thing, but also not a good thing? We'll see when it comes out.
  • *tan tan*
  • Not at all hard to believe.
    As soon as I saw that HTC Task Manager is installed, I assumed that HTC was the ODM.
    As I posted somewhere, it's obvious to me that different ODM's build the 800 and 850, and that the 850 looks to be based on a newer generation of technology.
  • Wasn't the Treo 750 Manufactured by HTC as well under the name HTC Cheetah?
  • Isn't the Centro 500 by Asus?
  • I was talking about this last week. http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2008/08/15/looks-like-the-treo-pro-is-made-by-htc/
  • I had thought about this too, given all the differences between the 800w and the Pro.
    What I think is more interesting is the fact that Palm and HTC have seemingly separated themselves into being producers of smartphones with either slider keyboards (HTC) or static keyboards (Palm). Did these guys get together and make a pact or something?
  • Tilt! Tilt!
  • I had thought about this too, given all the differences between the 800w and the Pro.
    What I think is more interesting is the fact that Palm and HTC have seemingly separated themselves into being producers of smartphones with either slider keyboards (HTC) or static keyboards (Palm). Did these guys get together and make a pact or something?
    Incorrect premise - HTC makes a keyboard-less Touch and Touch Diamond and the Treo Pro with Keyboard, and the Touch Pro with Keyboard.
  • [quote=WMExperts Articles;1487481]So we kinda sorta a wee-little-bit suspect that, hardware-wise, the Treo Pro is Palm on the outside, HTC on the inside.
    Not only that... one wonders what exactly is Palm's "contribution" to the whole thing. 1) The "Palm" brand, 2) The nasty Centro keyboard... 3) Maybe some crappy "Addit-like" applications.
    Other than that, not much. Even the much desired (and flaunted by Palm) "flush" touchscreen is (I suppose) an HTC thing.
    - mvk
  • Incorrect premise - HTC makes a keyboard-less Touch and Touch Diamond and the Treo Pro with Keyboard, and the Touch Pro with Keyboard.
    So you have proof that HTC makes the Treo Pro? That's what this entire thread is about: a supposition that HTC is the actual manufacturer of the device. And I know that HTC makes PDAs with touch-screens only--never said they didn't.
    Also, there is a huge difference between slider keyboards and static keyboards. Static ones are those that don't move and are always "out," e.g., the Treo devices. Sliders, OTOH, slide out from under the screen, such as those devices produced by HTC.
    Hope that helps you.
  • HTC is also making the Xperia for Sony Ericsson. They're going to corner the market in high-end Windows Mobile devices! :)
  • HTC is also making the Xperia for Sony Ericsson. They're going to corner the market in high-end Windows Mobile devices! :)
    They have already.
    Surur
  • The article also stated that Palm will no longer use numbers to distinguish its phone models. So, bye-bye numbers of the past: 600, 650, 700, etc.
  • Their is NO TREO 850 (low end sales guy that is:)
  • BGR is stating that HTC are making it as a fact http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/08/24/new-palm-treo-pro-to-be-made-by-htc/ (though I notice they don't mention their source).
  • Guess I should be clearer. I'm not just saying that HTC manufactures it, what I'm suggesting is that HTC did most of the DESIGN for it as well.
  • Guess I should be clearer. I'm not just saying that HTC manufactures it, what I'm suggesting is that HTC did most of the DESIGN for it as well.
    I'm not sure if they designed it completely, but I am thinking they had their hand in it far more than any other WM Palm device...
  • Just wondering what's the purpose of this thread? I don't see why it would make a difference knowing who designed or assembled a phone. Would we pay less or more for it knowing HTC had something to do with it? Private labeling is done on everything you buy. Look at cars. You find all kinds of cars that are made by one manufacturer and labeled as another's. Look at the Chevy Malibu and the Mitsubishi Galant. They're the same cars made on the same line. Does it matter who's design it is? TV's are made by manufacturers with many different brand names. Qualcomm used to make the Sony phones and who made my Kyocera 6035 or 7135? Both ran POS. :rolleyes:
  • Just wondering what's the purpose of this thread? I don't see why it would make a difference knowing who designed or assembled a phone. Would we pay less or more for it knowing HTC had something to do with it? Private labeling is done on everything you buy. Look at cars. You find all kinds of cars that are made by one manufacturer and labeled as another's. Look at the Chevy Malibu and the Mitsubishi Galant. They're the same cars made on the same line. Does it matter who's design it is? TV's are made by manufacturers with many different brand names. Qualcomm used to make the Sony phones and who made my Kyocera 6025 or 7135? Both ran POS. :rolleyes:
    I'm a bit confused by this thread now as well...The OP states that Palm has never disclosed who the manufacturer is for the Treo Pro, concomitantly citing various HTC-esque touches to the device which may lead one to hypothesize that HTC is indeed the manufacturer. Later in the thread, we hear that HTC actually manufactures it, but the real question is essentially, "who developed it?" I guess I don't really care who developed the device. Hardware producer is of much greater concern. OTOH, I have had phones from both companies (HTC and Palm) malfunction, so I guess I don't have any real preference regarding which company produces the best quality hardware. I just hope I don't get a lemon when I buy my Pro!
  • The fact that HTC designed the Treo Pro makes a huge difference in the overall experience of the device compared to previous WM Treos. It loses a lot of the "Zen of Palm" touches that you see in other devices. That's why we're talking about it.
  • Being a HTC device is a great advantage, since xda-developers does not support other ODM's.
    Surur
  • I don't have a problem if HTC manufactured the Trep Pro based on Palm's specs as it was for the 750.
    When I first got the 750, I found the following on CNET, which explained many of the differences of the 750 from a standard HTC device:
    ""Features
    The biggest change from the Treo 680, of course, is that when you turn on the Treo 750 you see the splash screen for Microsoft's Window Mobile 5 instead of the Palm OS.
    But this isn't Windows Mobile like you've ever seen before. As part of the deal to bring long-time competitor Palm into the Windows fold, Microsoft opened up the Windows Mobile source code for Palm's modification. This makes Palm the only Windows Mobile licensee permitted to modify the core of the OS, so that enhancements can be built into the OS rather than bolted on as additional layers."
  • I don't have a problem if HTC manufactured the Trep Pro based on Palm's specs as it was for the 750.
    When I first got the 750, I found the following on CNET, which explained many of the differences of the 750 from a standard HTC device:
    ""Features
    The biggest change from the Treo 680, of course, is that when you turn on the Treo 750 you see the splash screen for Microsoft's Window Mobile 5 instead of the Palm OS.
    But this isn't Windows Mobile like you've ever seen before. As part of the deal to bring long-time competitor Palm into the Windows fold, Microsoft opened up the Windows Mobile source code for Palm's modification. This makes Palm the only Windows Mobile licensee permitted to modify the core of the OS, so that enhancements can be built into the OS rather than bolted on as additional layers."    I would hope palm still has the resources to build in it's own enhancements. I really enjoyed the palm goodies on the 750 :)
  • Yes it was; that is why the 750 has its own subforum on xda-developers.com.Wasn't the Treo 750 Manufactured by HTC as well under the name HTC Cheetah?
  • The Treo Pro is the least Palm-esque WM Treo we've seen so far. Maybe not a bad thing, but also not a good thing? We'll see when it comes out.
    I would say that the Treo 500v which lacks a touchscreen or a ringer switch is far less Palm-esque than the Treo Pro.
  • I always wondered why palm decided to put Windows Mobile Standard... maybe they should stick with Windows Mobile Pro.