700p Support: NO MORE!! (STILL)
I have been attempting to find out if the 700p would receive any of the updates that all the other Treo's have been getting. I had already received a, "no", reply to the Googlemail compatiblity update for Versamail that was given to Palm's low end Centro customers. I then inquired as to whether there would be a MR update for the 700p such as the one released for the 755p. Below is Rob K's blog comments:
"
Wanted to follow up as I know there have been discussions regarding whether Palm is planning to provide a new software update on the Sprint Treo 755p. We don’t have plans at this time to provide another software update for the Sprint Treo 700p.Also, the Sprint Treo 755p MR has not been tested by Palm on the Treo 700p and therefore we do not recommend it."
- Rob K.
[(Blog comment - click here)
Quick History of Palm's Support for Treo 700p
5/2006: Sprint Treo 700p released as Palm flagship product. Verizon version follows several months later.
12/2007: Problems not even acknowledged by Palm up until this point. Prior to this, their support line's answer to almost every single call was that they were unaware of any such problems.
6/2007: Sprint 700p Maintenance Update released over one year from release on 5/2006. SD version works while Hotsync version bricks phones and is quickly removed.
9/2007: Verizon 700p Maintenance Update is released and then pulled after a few weeks for the data connection being broken to the point that the internet was unusable. It is then eventually re-released.
....
(six months pass without any added support)
....
3/2008: Palm confirms that there will be no more support releases for the 700p despite outstanding issues and having released an update for the nearly identical 755p.
SUMMATION OF PALM'S SUPPORT FOR TREO 700P:
Some industry analysts have offered the proposition that the Centro has undercut margins for the higher end Treo's affecting Palm's bottom line. If so, can anyone blame the consumer? 
I was over half way through my two year contract BEFORE I got the MR. Little did I know that the same MR also concluded Palm's support for my phone with 11 months yet on the contract.
If I were to buy a Palm phone again, I would never buy a high end one. I'd too buy a cheapie model like the Centro that is more or less disposable due to its low price tag. That is, IF, I were to buy a Palm phone again. I really do still like my 700p because it does do an amazing number of things well but at the sametime I don't want to reward Palm for abusing their consumer's trust. It's like going back to that hot girlfriend who swears she won't cheat on you this time, wreck your car, or burn down your house when she gets mad. (Shout out to Andre Rison) That it is going to be different this time somehow. That sweet, "Just trust me honey.", that I somehow hear while hypnotized by that low cut blouse. Palm's new OS product might look good when it comes out but I doubt I will be going back. It's just not worth the occassional good sex if it means that you have to spend even ANY amount of time on the other end of it.
If I even think about buying another Palm phone, my first question to Palm is, "How long do you plan to support this model?" I think that should be on the box right next to the warranty.
How long do you think it is reasonable? Microsoft is still supporting XP and it was released in 2001. That is much more time than I would expect Palm to support any product but I would think that two years isn't too much to ask.
Especially since Palm is still selling the Verizon 700p on their website for $299.99 with contract, $619.99 without!