To some of us Gen Z folks and Millennials, the brand “Palm” might not invoke much nostalgia. Indeed, we might not remember much about the Palm Pilots of 90s, but fear not, there’s a new Palm in town. A San Francisco startup purchased the rights to the original Palm name and is planning to release a mini 3.3-inch phone of the same name.
The Palm is meant not to replace your phone, but rather to supplement it. The device is a Verizon exclusive and will not be available for purchase on its own with a unique phone line. Instead, it is meant as an add-on, which means you still need your normal-sized phone but can add the Palm to share your current phone number. Think of it as a slightly bigger, not-wearable smartwatch with a tad more functions.
This mini phone was designed to keep people from being too distracted on their normal-sized phones. It can also be used for certain situations, such as a night out or going to the gym, when people just don’t want to carry their normal-sized phone. It can use all the apps from the Google Play Store and runs on a full version of Android 8.1.
As for the cost, the device itself is $350, and the Verizon add-on plan, which forwards all calls and texts to the phone, costs an additional $10 per month. The one caveat though is that since the phone runs on Android, it will not forward any of Apple’s iMessages.
While this is a super cool and interesting concept, I’m a little cautious about how it will catch on. It’s not completely useful as a phone replacement since you still need your regular phone, but it’s not as wearable as a smartwatch either. However, since Steph Curry is an investor and endorsing the product, you never know. Only time will tell how well this will sell. In the meantime, check out the full video review of the Palm below!
