Mobile Evolution - Thoughts, insight, and experiences related to the mobile software industry

Based on what I have read, it seems there are probably more Palm OS devices in use today than ever before, so it does seem ironic that the sales of Palm software are so low now.

My own feeling is that this is primarily due to two reasons:

1. The main one is that the phone companies don't encourage users to install such software, or even actively discourage them from doing so. When most Palm devices were handhelds, Palm had a real business interest in pushing 3rd party aps - it made the device they were selling more attractive and useful. But the phone companies are only interested in the Phone itself; they want users to spend time on it, and gain just about nothing if a user buy some external software -- except, they think, the possible headache of a support problem if the software causes a problem with the phone.

2. When Palm OS devices were primarily handhelds, the buyers understood they were buying a computer, and it's normal to go out and buy software to make your computer more useful, regardless of the type of computer it is. Now, buyers understand they are buying a phone, and apparently don't expect to add software to it.

In addition, I agree that the $99 price point of the Centro may indicate that those who have purchased it, unlike those who purchased one of the more expensive Treo models, will not be that willing to invest in software to enhance the phone. I also agree that the demise of PalmGear probably added to the perception (whether valid or not) that Palm OS software is something of the past.

Having said that, the fact that there are 1mm new devices out there running the Palm OS cannot be a bad thing for those of us who sell Palm software. The question is, how do we get to those users?

One thing that I think may help: When iPhone users start being able to load software on their phones, the Centro users may finally realize, hey, I can do that too! and start shopping. I've always felt that the iPhone helped, rather than hurt, Centro sales - the Centro offered a much cheaper alternative for people who saw the iPhone but couldn't afford it. We'll see if iPhone software also helps Centro software sales.