Foxconn and Compal contracted for 5-6 Palm devices in 2011 [rumor]

While the Palm Pre 2 might be eliciting less-than-impressed responses from Palm fans, we can’t help but wonder what Palm might come out with next. It’s all but assumed that the Pre 2 was the phone Palm had in the pipeline and that it was supposed to be out several months ago, but what’s not all that clear is what’s due next.

According to Chinese trade paper CENS.com's "industry sources," Foxconn Technology and Compal Communications have landed contracts with Palm to produces several new devices. Foxconn is said to have secured the contract for four or five devices, including the PalmPad, while Compal has picked up the contract for one more device. Additionally, all five (or six) devices are due for production and presumably sale in 2011.

If this is true, consider our minds scrambled. That leaves us wondering just what devices we could see if up to six different form factors hit the shelves next year. There’s obviously the tablet, but what else there might be is unclear. Options include portrait and landscape sliders, a keyboard-less slate device, the candy bar Pixi form factor, and... something else to make six? Here's hoping Palm can take some inspiration from our amazingly talented members.

HP has made it clear that they’re intending to invest major dollars into making Palm a successful company, and when you spend $1.2 billion on something, you generally want to make sure you get your money’s worth. Multiple devices hitting the market in the span of a year is one way to get attention, and hopefully rake in some profits.

We’re also taking some comfort from CENS.com’s use of Palm as the contracting company, not HP. It’s a comforting notion that these would be Palm handsets (or tablets (or toasters)) and not HP branded, calming our fears of the Palm brand fading away anytime soon.