Estimations released Monday suggest that this week’s launch of the Palm Pre in the UK will far outshine that of the Apple iPhone’s 2007 debut.

Market research firm TNS recently interviewed over 1,000 UK adults, with 26 per cent responding that they would definitely or probably buy the Palm Pre when it is launched on Friday, October 16. This figure is almost double the 16 per cent who said they would buy the iPhone when TNS undertook similar research in 2007.

Among existing O2 customers TNS discovered that the purchase intent figures are even more impressive, with 27 per cent keen to buy the Pre compared with just 17 per cent wanting the iPhone prior to its launch. Fortunately for O2, this suggests that the carrier could use the device to maintain customer loyalty, a useful trend given that O2 is due to lose its iPhone exclusivity deal in a matter of months.

In fact, O2 will likely benefit from its exclusivity deal with Palm, with TNS revealing that 32 per cent of respondents currently on other networks would switch to O2 in order to get hold of the Pre.

Kevin Evans, associate director at TNS Technology, said: “The Palm Pre is already being touted as the ‘iPhone killer’ and our research certainly suggests it’s going to shake up the market. The decision to offer the Pre free to those on a 24-month contract is in sharp contrast to the £269 price of the iPhone at its launch, while the launch timing capitalises on the fact that thousands of UK iPhone early-adopters are approaching the end of their 18-month contract period, while the next-generation iPhone is not expected until next June.”

O2 Germany will be the first operator to get its hands on the Pre on October 13.