In a move certain to cause unrest concerning the future of Palm OS, Sony will not introduce new CLIE models in North America and Europe. It's business as usual in Japan, however.
Despite a productive relationship that dates back to 2000, Sony is about to give operating system maker PalmSource one more head ache as the company decides not to introduce any new CLIE models to European and North American markets. The company's involvement with the CLIE line will continue in Japan, for the purpose of examining the conventional handheld business.
In a phone interview with infoSync World, Matthieu Dupont, General Manager of Sony's CLIE business unit in Europe, said Sony would continue selling its existing line-up for the next six to eight months. Current CLIE models include the Sony CLIE PEG-TJ27, PEG-TJ37 and PEG-TH55, all of which are available in both Europe and North America, and for which Sony will honour warrantee guarantees and continue to offer 'required' software updates.
According to Dupont, Sony continues to view mobile devices a key pillar in its offerings, but will shift its focus to devices offering audio, video and games on the go - whilst at the same time keeping an emphasis on wireless connectivity. The Japanese manufacturer apparently has no plans to fill the void left by its CLIE handhelds, however recent efforts to deliver miniature tablets running Windows XP suggests this could be a potential trade-up for Sony devotees.
When asked to comment on Sony's keeping of the CLIE line in Japan, Dupont cited the significant market share achieved by the CLIE line in Japan as opposed to other markets. With over 50% of the Japanese market Sony's position is entirely different from other markets, and the manufacturer also assumes Japan to be the best market for further research into the conventional handheld space.
Upon introducing its first Palm OS handhelds in 2000, the CLIE PEG-S300 and PEG-S500C, Sony quickly garnered support from consumers who wanted the more advanced features offered in the company's line of CLIE handhelds. For some time thereafter, Sony handhelds represented the only choice for a Palm OS user hoping to gain some of the power offered by handhelds running Microsoft's competing Pocket PC platform.
The decision by Sony to press the 'pause' button for its CLIE handhelds does not only affect the manufacturer itself, however, but also operating system maker PalmSource. Having watched prominent licensees such as HandEra discontinue its licensing agreement, and Acer shifting its focus to Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, PalmSource must endure a hard blow to its image as a result of Sony's decision. Following its merger with Handspring, palmOne, along with Samsung, remain the only prominent Palm OS licensees.
Sony appears inclined to retain its $10 million USD investment in PalmSource, however, and has given no indication that it intends to alter the operating system used for its CLIE line in Japan - likely due to its ability to tweak and alter this operating system to a far greater degree than possible with competing platforms such as Windows Mobile and Symbian OS.
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