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It is the phone you never need to plug in. Palm's new mobile, called the Pre, uses a radical wireless technology.
To charge the phone, you simply place it on top of a dock which beams power through magnetic contacts.
Technology experts say the handset, which will only be available in Britain from O2, could become the iPhone's biggest rival.
“This really is an impressive phone, and in terms of software, it's far and away the best we've seen,” said Katherine Hannaford of gadget magazine T3.
“Apple's iPhone has been around a while and I think people are beginning to think about not following the herd — and the Pre is a real contender.”
Palm, which is staffed by many ex-Apple employees, has already become involved in a battle over the phone. It found a way to load music using Apple's iTunes software, but Apple issued an update to iTunes blocking the device.
It warned in a statement: “Newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide synching functionality with unsupported digital
media players.”
Palm admits it is locked in a cat-andmouse game with Apple to give users access to iTunes.
“Palm need to be very careful not to annoy customers — being able to load music one day and not the next is very confusing,” said Ms Hannaford.
The firm is also planning a cheaper version of the Pre, the Pixi, expected to be released in Britain next year.
The Pre snaps in place magnetically on to a Touchstone charging dock. It works by generating a magnetic field which turns on and off rapidly.
The resulting magnetic pulse induces an electric current in a wire coil in the handset, and the battery charges.
O2 hopes Palm's phone will give it an advantage over its rivals, particularly as it is losing exclusive rights to the iPhone this year, when Orange will begin selling it. Vodafone is also planning to sell the phone early next year.
