Palm (companion)

The Palm phone, or "Palm companion device", "Palm Palm", "TCL Palm",^[4] codenamed "Pepito" with model number PVG100^[5][6] is a smartphone running the Android operating system, announced on October 15, 2018, and was first available in the United States from November 2, that year.^[7]

Palm is developed, designed, and marketed by Palm Ventures Group, a San Francisco-based start up founded by Dennis Miloseski and Howard Nuk. Palm Ventures is financially backed by Chinese electronics company TCL that owns the Palm trademark, originally of Palm, Inc.^[8][9] The phone is manufactured by China's Tinno Mobile as an ODM for TCL.^[10]

With a 3.3-inch screen and 62.5 g weight that is noticeably smaller and lighter than other smartphones released at the same time, the Palm was initially marketed as "an ultra-mobile companion" device that is meant to be used in conjunction with a regular smartphone—positioning it as a cross-over between a wearable and a smartphone, and originally could only be used by pairing the device with another phone on the Verizon network.^[11][12] However, the restriction was subsequently lifted for new buyers as well as oversea markets, which make it also possible to use the device as a standalone phone.^[13]

It is the first "Palm"-branded device on the market since 2010 (Palm Pre 2).^[14]

The Palm companion phone comes with a pre-installed SIM card (4FF), a non-removable 800-mAh battery, a wall adapter/USB cable/USB connector, a quick start guide, important consumer safety information and a product safety and warranty brochure. The Palm companion phone has a width of 1.99 inches and a height of 3.8 inches. ^[15] It is also IP68 dust and water resistant.^[16]