Palm Pre launches October 16 on O2 – handset from free, tariff pricey

We’d already heard the rumours of when we could expect it, but now O2 has confirmed both pricing and an October release date for the long-awaited Palm Pre.

Previously touted as coming “in time for Christmas”, O2 has now announced it’ll be thankfully quite a bit before, hitting shelves on 16 October exclusive to the network.

Available direct from O2, or through Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4U, the Palm Pre will be free to customers on the sole £34.26 per month 24-month contract, but 18-month customers will have to take on a monthly tariff of £44.05 or £73.41 to get the Pre for nada.

In terms of what this will get you – 24 month customers will be stuck with 600 minutes and 500 texts, while 18 monthers will get either 1,200 or 3,000 minutes and the same 500 texts with the £44.05 and £73.41 tariffs respectively.

It's worth nothing that you will be able to get on the Pre on cheaper 18-month tariffs of £29.38 or £34.26 per month, but you'll have to shell out £96.89 for the phone up front.

Similarly to the iPhone tariffs, all data will be free no matter which you of the above opt for, with access over the O2 HDSPA network and unlimited access to 7,500 Wifi hotspots through The Cloud and BT Openzone.

Finally, if you want to buy in to the Palm Pre’s rather innovative Touchstone Charging Dock for connectionless charging of the phone, that will also be available and sold separately for £44.11.

So there you have it – will you be buying a Pre come October? Be sure to read our full review and check out our first hands-on at CES earlier this year and let us know below.