Home Palm May Live Yet: Signs Point To Revival Under Alcatel/TCL

Palm May Live Yet: Signs Point To Revival Under Alcatel/TCL

Here’s a surprise just in time for New Year’s: Palm, the erstwhile mobile brand that flopped despite the big potential of its platform, may still have some life left in it yet. 

For years, the HP-owned company sent Palm.com visitors to the HPWebOS.com website. Now Palm redirects to MyNewPalm.com, which features a Palm logo and the alternating messages “Coming Soon” and “Smart Move.” 

According to Ars Technica, that move may reference new ownership by Alcatel One Touch, a division of Chinese technology giant TCL. In other words, Palm may not be as dead as once thought. In fact, its second life could be fueled by a major tech company with stakes in both mobile and television. 

A Second Wind For Palm?

Ars cites WebOS Nation, which first noticed the website redirection, and brings up one other tidbit: A document in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals a change in ownership of the Palm trademark from HP to a company with ties to Alcatel One Touch, a maker of budget and second-tier mobile devices. 

It just so happens that Alcatel’s tagline is the same “Smart Move” message animated on the MyNewPalm site. 

Its parent company, TCL Corporation, has more than enough in its vast coffers to resuscitate the Palm brand. Some folks may recall that the corporation made news this year for being one of the two manufacturers to produce Roku’s brand new 2014 smart TVs. Ars Technica notes that TCL is the 25th-largest consumer electronics manufacturer and the third-biggest maker of televisions (after Samsung and LG). 

HP has owned Palm since 2010, and since then, has done little to advance the brand. The company didn’t turn out any new WebOS devices for years, instead selling the operating system to LG. WebOS now lives as open-source software and has been positioned as a platform for smart televisions. 

Given its mobile roots—anyone remember the Treo, Pre or Pixi?—and that it developed an operating system that could help drive connected TV, Alcatel and TCL seem like natural fits for Palm. Other reasons to believe this is a good match: Palm was a beloved brand in its time. That sentiment should appeal to TCL, which badly wants to establish a presence in the U.S. 

Of course, much depends on what the mobile company or its parent corporation will actually do with Palm. Some have proffered that new Palm devices could debut with Android on board. Given the “coming soon” message, we may not have long to find out. 

Happy New Year, Palm fans! 

Photo by Adriana Lee for ReadWrite

Correction: An earlier version of the article failed to reference LG’s ownership of WebOS, giving the impression the software still belonged to HP. The article has been updated to reflect that.

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.