Sprint Officially Offers Camera-less Treo 600

Sprint today announced nationwide availability of a non-camera version of the Sprint PCS Vision Treo 600 by palmOne. Available today, only from Sprint, this non-camera version was designed to address corporate security concerns raised by camera phones and incorporates all the other same timesaving and user-friendly features as the original Treo 600.

The Treo 600 is now available at a suggested retail price of $599.99 through Sprint business channels including the PCS direct sales force and the Sprint PCS Business Solutions(SM) Program. Sprint will continue to carry the original Treo 600 with the embedded camera in all sales channels including business channels, Sprint Stores and online.

"Camera phones can bring a great advantage to many industries, especially real estate and insurance, but some companies have credible concerns about the devices being used to copy sensitive information. Sprint continues to demonstrate its leadership by providing an innovative portfolio of wireless productivity devices that help our customers meet challenges within the business environment," said Phil Bowman, vice president of Integrated Solutions, Sprint Business Solutions. "This additional version of the Treo 600 gives mobile professionals a way to utilize the high-speed data capabilities of the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network and remain productive without worry of violating any company restrictions when they are visiting clients or back in their own offices."

Sprint provides various options for Treo 600 users who want to check email while away from the office. Sprint PCS Business Connection Enterprise and Personal editions interface seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange 2000 and Lotus Domino data and offer the ability to access multiple inboxes including one corporate and up to two Internet mailboxes, open and view attachments and access contacts and calendar information. Available to Sprint Treo 600 users through the Sprint PCS Business Solutions Program, GoodLink provides real-time access to Microsoft Outlook applications and Web-enabled enterprise systems with continuous, two-way real-time synchronization.

"The Treo 600 continues to attract a larger audience of corporate customers looking to provide their employees with an all-in-one communication solution," said Tim Roper, senior director of wireless sales, palmOne. "By offering the non-camera Treo 600, we believe we can meet the needs of more security-conscious customers, expand our available market and still offer all the features the Treo 600 is known for, including a great email experience."

"The U.S. market for converged mobile devices, or "smartphones," will more than double in 2004 to 4.5 million units, driven in part by an increasing number of enterprises investigating the viability of mobility," said David Linsalata, research analyst with IDC. "Because mobility policies vary between enterprises, the ability to offer a range of devices and device capabilities, such as Sprint's camera and non-camera Treo 600s, will be critical for the continued growth of this market."