Editing Palm, Inc. (section)

== History ==
Palm, headquartered in [[Sunnyvale, California]], was responsible for numerous products including the [[Palm Pre|Pre]] and [[Palm Pixi|Pixi]] as well as the [[Palm Treo|Treo]] and [[Palm Centro|Centro]] smartphones. Previous product lines include the Pilot 1000, Palm Pilot Pro, Palm III, [[Palm V]], [[Palm VII]], [[Zire Handheld|Zire]] and [[Tungsten Handheld|Tungsten]]. While their older devices run [[Palm OS]] Garnet, four editions of the Treo run [[Windows Mobile]].

===Founding and acquisition {{anchor|Palm Computing}}===
Palm Computing, Inc., was founded in 1992 by [[Jeff Hawkins]], who later hired [[Donna Dubinsky]] and [[Ed Colligan]], all of whom guided Palm to the invention of [[Palm Pilot]]. The company was started to write software for the [[Tandy Zoomer|Zoomer]], a consumer [[Personal digital assistant|PDA]] manufactured by [[Casio]] for [[Tandy Computers|Tandy]].<ref name="Butter2002">{{Cite book
  |title = Piloting Palm: The Inside Story of Palm, Handspring, and the Birth of the Billion-Dollar Handheld Industry
  |last1 = Butter
  |first1 = Andrea
  |publisher = John Wiley & Sons
  |year = 2002
  |isbn = 9780471223399
  |pages = [https://archive.org/details/pilotingpalminsi00butt/page/56 56]
  |last2 = Pogue
  |first2 = David
  |author-link2 = David Pogue
  |url=https://archive.org/details/pilotingpalminsi00butt |url-access = registration
  }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
  |url = http://www.8bit-micro.com/tandy-zoomer-z-pda.htm
  |title = The Tandy ZOOMER
  |date = 2004
  |last = Hahn
  |first = Brian K.
  |access-date = 1 May 2014
  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090207122037/http://www.8bit-micro.com/tandy-zoomer-z-pda.htm
  |archive-date = 7 February 2009
  |url-status = dead
  }}</ref> The Zoomer devices were also distributed by Casio and [[GRiD Systems Corporation|GRiD]], while Palm provided the [[Personal information manager|PIM]] software.<ref>{{cite web
  |url = http://www.grot.com/zoomer/documents/tandy-specs.html
  |title = Zoomer Technical Info; Tandy Z-PDA
  |date = 9 May 1995
  |access-date = 30 April 2014
  |last = Smithson
  |first = Brian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
  |url = http://www.grot.com/zoomer/pictures.html#palm|title = Zoomer Pictures; application screen shots
  |date = 17 January 1996
  |last = Smithson
  |first = Brian}}</ref> The [[GEOS (16-bit operating system)#PEN/GEOS devices|PEN/GEOS]] operating system was provided by [[Geoworks]].

The Zoomer failed commercially, but Palm continued generating revenue by selling synchronization software for [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] devices, and the [[Graffiti (Palm OS)|Graffiti]] [[handwriting recognition]] software for the [[Apple Newton]] MessagePad.<ref name="Press Release: Graffiti Arrives">{{cite web|url=http://www.grot.com/zoomer/zoomer-list/zoomer-list-3Q1994/0048.html |title=3Q1994 Zoomer-List Archives: Graffiti Arrives! – Press Release enclosed |publisher=Grot.com |date=19 September 1994 |access-date=5 January 2012}}</ref>

The company was acquired by [[U.S. Robotics Corp.]] in 1995. In June 1997, U.S. Robotics was acquired by [[3Com]] and Palm became a 3Com subsidiary. In June 1998, the founders became unhappy with the direction in which 3Com was taking the company, and left to found [[Handspring (company)|Handspring]].

===Stock offering and split into PalmSource and PalmOne {{anchor|PalmOne}}===
[[File:Palm logo 2003.jpg|thumb|150px|Palm logo, 2000–2004]]
[[File:Palmonesm.svg|thumb|200px|PalmOne logo, stylized as "'''''pa1mOne'''''", 2003–2005]]

3Com made the Palm subsidiary an independent, [[Public company|publicly traded company]] on 1 March 2000, and it traded on the [[NASDAQ]] under the [[ticker symbol]] PALM. Palm Inc had its [[Initial public offering|IPO]] during the [[dot-com bubble]] and in its first day of trading the [[Share (finance)|shares]] of the new company hit an all-time high of [[United States dollar|US$]]95.06.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_23/b3735052.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011109045810/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_23/b3735052.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 November 2001|title=Bloomberg|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref> But competition and the end of the tech bubble caused Palm's shares to lose 90% of their value in just over a year. By June 2001 the company's shares were trading at US$6.50, making it the worst performing PDA manufacturer on the NASDAQ index at the time.<ref name="autogenerated1" />

In January 2002, Palm set up a wholly owned subsidiary to develop and license Palm OS,<ref>[http://gl.access-company.com/news_event/palmsource/012102/ Palm Completes Formation of Palm OS Subsidiary as Palm Powered Devices Hit 20 Million Sold] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724181822/http://gl.access-company.com/news_event/palmsource/012102/ |date=24 July 2014 }}, Palm press release, 21 January 2002</ref> which was named [[PalmSource]] in February.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Palm Os Subsidiary Ceo Outlines Vision For Future Of Mobile Computing|date=2002|publisher=Access Co., Ltd.|url=http://www.access-company.com/news/press/PalmSource/2002/020502_3.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120604233312/http://www.access-company.com/news/press/PalmSource/2002/020502_3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-06-04|access-date=12 January 2023}}</ref> PalmSource was then spun off from Palm as an independent company.<ref name="Palm-Jun-2003-8-K">{{cite web
 |url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/1179/101287003002981/filing-main.htm
 |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Jun 6, 2003
 |publisher=secdatabase.com
 |access-date =31 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="Palm-Nov-2003-8-K">{{cite web
 |url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/1918/119312503078194/filing-main.htm
 |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Nov 12, 2003
 |publisher=secdatabase.com
 |access-date =31 December 2012}}</ref> In October 2003, the hardware division of the company merged with Handspring, was renamed to '''palmOne, Inc.'''<ref name="Palm-Jun-2003-8-K"/><ref name="Palm-Nov-2003-8-K"/> and traded under the ticker symbol PLMO. The Palm trademark was held by a jointly owned holding company.

===United as a single company===
[[File:Newpalmlogo.svg|thumb|200px|Palm logo, 2005–2010]]
{{Refimprove section|date=September 2013}}
In May 2005, palmOne purchased PalmSource's share in the 'Palm' trademark for US$30&nbsp;million.<ref name="Palm-May-2005-8-K">{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/334/119312505115930/filing-main.htm |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date May 27, 2005 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =31 December 2012}}</ref> In July 2005, palmOne launched its new name and brand, reverting to Palm, Inc. and trading under the ticker symbol PALM once again.<ref name="Palm-Jun-2005-8-K">{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/1780/119312505135370/filing-main.htm |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Jun 30, 2005 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =31 December 2012}}</ref>

In late 2005, [[Access Co.|ACCESS]], which specializes in mobile and embedded web browser technologies, acquired PalmSource for US$324&nbsp;million.

On 4 January 2006, Palm released the Palm [[Treo 700w]], the first [[Windows Mobile]]-powered Treo, in a partnership with [[Verizon Wireless]] and [[Microsoft]].

In December 2006, Palm, Inc. paid US$44&nbsp;million to ACCESS for an irrevocable license to use and modify the source code for Palm OS Garnet as well as ship Palm OS Garnet in any Palm product without paying royalties; with this arrangement, the Palm company could once again develop both its hardware and software.<ref name="Palm-Dec-2006-8-K">{{cite web|url=http://pdf.secdatabase.com/1426/0001193125-06-250644.pdf |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Dec 11, 2006 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =31 December 2012|quote=On December 5, 2006, Palm, Inc. (Palm) entered into a definitive agreement to license the source code for Palm Operating System (OS) Garnet from ACCESS Systems Americas (ACCESS) on a fully paid-up, irrevocable (other than for certain material breaches of Palm's obligations) basis. The agreement includes the right for Palm to modify the Palm OS Garnet source code, to retain ownership of those modifications and to use Palm OS Garnet in whole or in part in any Palm product. In addition, ACCESS has expanded its license to Palm of ACCESS patents that existed as of December 2001, to cover all Palm products. Previously, this patent license had applied only to Palm products based on Palm OS. Palm will pay ACCESS a total of $44 million under the agreement subject to Palm's acceptance of delivery of the Palm OS Garnet source code and other deliverables under the agreement}}</ref>

In June 2007, Palm formed a strategic relationship with the private-equity firm [[Elevation Partners]], who purchased a 25% equity stake of the company for US$325 million<ref name="Palm-Jun-2007-8-K">{{cite web|url=http://pdf.secdatabase.com/2120/0001193125-07-130045.pdf |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Jun 5, 2007 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =31 December 2012}}</ref> – an investment that came after months of rumours about a possible Palm sale. Palm CEO Ed Colligan acknowledged that "We were approached by larger parties over the last six months," and "the reality is that we thought this was the best outcome for our business and our investors."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.treonauts.com/2007/06/palm_sells_a_qu.html|title=Palm Sells A Quarter Slice To Elevation Partners|access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref>

On 18 December 2008, Palm CEO Ed Colligan announced that the company would no longer develop any new handheld PDAs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/9654/colligan-no-new-palm-handhelds/|title=Colligan: No New Palm Handhelds|access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref> Palm announced the [[webOS]] operating system and [[Palm Pre]] smartphone at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]] on 8 January 2009, and released on 6 June 2009 with [[Sprint Nextel|Sprint]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newsreleases.sprint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=127149&p=irol-newsArticle_newsroom&ID=1289761 |title=Sprint Newsroom &#124; News Releases |publisher=Newsreleases.sprint.com |access-date=5 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622225037/http://newsreleases.sprint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=127149 |archive-date=22 June 2009 }}</ref> The design team was led by [[Matias Duarte]], Mike Bell, Peter Skillman and [[Michael Abbott]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0622/smart-phones-blackberry-how-palm-designed-pre.html|title=How Palm Designed The Pre|author=Elizabeth Woyke|date=5 June 2009|work=Forbes|access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref>

In early 2009, the hype over WebOS sent Palm's stock from US$3 to a high of about US$18.  While reviews of the Palm Pre were positive, launching with only one U.S. carrier (Sprint, which was also a distant third in the market) proved to be a crucial mistake that limited sales, even though it became Sprint's phone. The Pre was often described as Palm's [[swan song]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/09/palm_pre_debut_sales_speculation/|title=Palm Pre breaks Sprint sales records|website=[[The Register]] |access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/20/palm_results/|title=Palm bets the farm on WebOS|website=[[The Register]] |access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref> as it was too late to keep the company – with only $250&nbsp;million in cash and short- term investments at the beginning of 2009 – independent for long. By 2010 the share price of Palm dropped to below US$4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thespec.com/news/business/article/868294--rim-says-150-carriers-keep-it-from-palm-s-fate-toronto|title=RIM says 150 carriers keep it from Palm's fate (Toronto)|access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref>

=== Acquisition by HP and demise ===
[[File:HP Palm Logo.svg|thumb|175px|Palm, Inc. logo, 2010]]
On 28 April 2010, Hewlett-Packard announced it would purchase Palm at $5.70 a share for $1.2&nbsp;billion in an all-cash deal.<ref name="Palm-Apr-2010-8-K">{{cite web|url=http://pdf.secdatabase.com/2904/0001193125-10-096840.pdf |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Apr 28, 2010 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =31 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="HPPress">{{cite press release |title=HP to Acquire Palm for $1.2 Billion |url=http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2010/100428xa.html |publisher=[[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] |date=28 April 2010 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> The acquisition was completed on 1 July 2010.<ref name="Palm-Jul-2010-8-K">{{cite web|url=http://pdf.secdatabase.com/2703/0001193125-10-153620.pdf |title=Palm, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Jul 2, 2010 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =31 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="HPPress2">{{cite press release |title=HP Completes Palm Acquisition |url=http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2010/100701xa.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN |publisher=[[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] |date=1 July 2010 |access-date=5 July 2010}}</ref>

The Palm global business unit was to be responsible for webOS software development and webOS-based hardware products, from a robust smartphone roadmap to future slate PCs and netbooks.

In February 2011, HP unveiled a new line of WebOS products, including the [[HP Pre 3|Pre 3]], [[HP Veer|Veer]], and [[HP TouchPad|TouchPad]]; however, these products were branded under HP's name and not with the Palm name.<ref name=verge-postmortem/> In July 2011, as part of a reorganization, WebOS head [[Jon Rubinstein]] was demoted from senior vice president to a "product innovation role", and replaced by Stephen DeWitt, head of HP's North American consumer PC unit. At the same time, Palm was renamed the "webOS global business unit", effectively ending the use of the Palm brand.<ref name=verge-shakeup>{{cite web|title=HP shakeup: webOS now led by Stephen DeWitt, Jon Rubinstein in charge of 'product innovation'|url=https://www.theverge.com/2011/07/11/hp-shakeup-webos-led-stephen-dewitt-jon-rubinstein-charge-product-innovation|website=The Verge|date=11 July 2011 |access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=pcmag-tpkilled>{{cite web|title=HP Kills TouchPad, Support for webOS Devices|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391370,00.asp|website=PC Magazine|access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref>

The launch of the TouchPad was met with extremely poor sales;<ref name=verge-postmortem>{{cite web|last1=Zieger|first1=Chris|title=Pre to postmortem: the inside story of the death of Palm and webOS|url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/6/5/3062611/palm-webos-hp-inside-story-pre-postmortem|website=The Verge|date=5 June 2012 |access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> on 18 August 2011, HP announced that it would immediately end the production and support of all Palm and WebOS devices, and would be "exploring options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward", including a potential sale of the division to another company. HP also cancelled the U.S. release for the Pre 3 and Veer, and infamously, held a [[fire sale]] on remaining TouchPad stock, lowering prices for the tablet to as low as US$99 (which, however, led to a major spike in demand for the device).<ref name=verge-postmortem/><ref name=pcmag-tpkilled/> The decision, made by HP's CEO at the time [[Léo Apotheker]], along with its $11.7&nbsp;billion acquisition of [[HP Autonomy|Autonomy]], and threats to spin off HP's consumer business, led to a major decline in HP's market performance, with its shares falling in value by 45.4%.<ref name="bbc-hp-whitman">{{cite news|title=Hewlett-Packard replaces Leo Apotheker with Meg Whitman|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15028509|access-date=22 September 2011|newspaper=BBC News|date=22 September 2011}}</ref>

[[File:HP Gram Logo.png|Logo for HP subsidiary Gram (2012–2013)|150px|thumb|right]]
Following the resignation of Apotheker and his replacement by [[Meg Whitman]],<ref name="bbc-hp-whitman"/> it was announced in December 2011 that an open source version of much of WebOS would be created. Shortly afterward, Jon Rubinstein, along with a number of other senior Palm staff members, began to leave HP.<ref name=verge-postmortem/> On 15 August 2012, it was revealed that HP had re-organized the remaining WebOS team as a unit known as "Gram", made up of the remaining components of Palm.<ref name="DGram">{{cite news|url=http://allthingsd.com/20120815/meet-gram-hps-new-name-for-the-company-formerly-known-as-palm/|title=Meet Gram, HP's New Name for the Company Formerly Known as Palm|last=Hesseldahl|first=Arik|date=15 August 2012|work=[[All Things D]]|access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref> In February 2013, HP announced that it had sold the WebOS team, along with a license to the WebOS source code, documentation, and underlying patents, to [[LG Electronics]]. LG planned to primarily use the WebOS platform for its smart TV products, rather than on mobile devices, but did not rule out the possibility.<ref>{{cite web|author=Nilay Patel |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/2/25/4027814/hp-emerges-as-big-winner-in-webos-sale |title=HP emerges as big winner in WebOS sale |work=The Verge  |date=25 February 2013 |access-date=6 January 2014}}</ref>

=== TCL ownership, new device ===
On 30 December 2014, it was reported that in October 2014, HP had sold the Palm trademark and related intellectual properties to Wide Progress Global Limited, a [[shelf company]] controlled by Nicolas Zibell&nbsp;— a regional president of [[TCL Corporation]], which markets Android smartphones under the [[Alcatel Mobile|Alcatel]] brand. At the same time, it was discovered that the former Palm.com now redirected to MyNewPalm.com; the site displayed a "coming soon" page with the previous orange Palm logo, and the slogan "Smart move", which is also the slogan used by Alcatel OneTouch.<ref name=webosnation-alcatelpalm>{{cite web|title=It looks like Alcatel Onetouch purchased the Palm trademarks from HP|url=http://www.webosnation.com/it-looks-alcatel-onetouch-purchased-palm-trademarks-hp|website=WebOS Nation|access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=verge-alcatelpalm>{{cite web|title=Palm could be coming back to life — as an Android phone from Alcatel|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/12/31/7474965/hp-sells-palm-acatel-one-touch-tcl|website=The Verge|date=31 December 2014 |access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref>

TCL publicly confirmed its acquisition of the Palm brand on 6 January 2015, stating that it planned to "re-create" the company with a new team based in [[Silicon Valley]], and incorporate crowdsourcing into its product development.<ref name=cnet-palmcomeback>{{cite web
 |title=Palm makes a comeback! TCL to 're-create' the brand
 |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/palm-makes-a-comeback-tcl-to-recreate-the-brand/
 |publisher=CNET
 |access-date=8 January 2015}}</ref>

On 15 October 2018, a new [[Palm (companion)|Palm companion device]] was unveiled, which is manufactured by a new Palm-branded startup company from California that is financially backed by TCL and basketball player [[Stephen Curry]]. It is an "ultra-mobile", Android-based device designed to serve as a smaller, simplified companion to a larger smartphone. The new device was announced as being exclusive to [[Verizon Wireless]], only available as an add-on to an existing or new device plan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/15/17974850/new-palm-smartphone-android-lifemode-time-well-spent-verizon|title=The new Palm is a tiny phone to keep you away from your phone|work=The Verge|access-date=15 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90245288/steph-curry-and-the-new-palm-want-you-to-forget-your-phone|title=Steph Curry and the new Palm want you to forget your phone|date=15 October 2018|work=Fast Company|access-date=15 October 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>