Comments on: HTC: Quietly Blundering

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:11:00 +0000

You’re so short-sighted that you couldn’t see your own foot! Android isn’t going anywhere, its the Windows of smartphones in a way and we all know what that means. And laggy & crashing? When was the last time you saw a mid to high-end Android device?

By: seo service provider

seo service provider — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:21:00 +0000

i luve htc cell phones :)

By: 50000

50000 — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:58:00 +0000

Microsoft invited Google to invest in the large patent purchase and they declined. That’s their decision and they must deal with the ramifications of that such as being politely asked to pay license fees or subsequent legal action when they continue to violate patents they declined to purchase but decided to use.

Windows Phone is a safe bet but it will indeed take several years for Android to collapse so the option of fighting daily with a laggy crashing device is still available for those who want Android.

By: Daleos

Daleos — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:11:00 +0000

Sense is more than just a skin. In fact I could do without the ‘skinning’ part of Sense altogether but not their integrated apps. For me, the Sense contact manager,the Sense keyboard and even the Sense Gallery are all way better than any of the competition (including most 3rd party options).

‘Sense’ was once a good way of marketing the user experience of HTC but these days people seem to think it’s just the skin. Perhaps HTC should remarket their excellent apps as something else. They could even sell them on the Android Market as standalone apps. That way other people may see what they’ve been missing and consider a bundled set of excellent apps is a good reason to buy a HTC phone.

By: Daleos

Daleos — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:49:00 +0000

The value of ‘Sense’ is not really the OS overlay part but the integrated apps that came with it. If HTC can find a way of expanding and adding value and features to those, then they’ll keep me as a loyal customer. If they can separate ‘Sense’ from the hardware, then maybe there’s even the change of selling the bundle on the App market.

I also prefer HTC’s styling over Samsung and even Apple. For this reason, they don’t need to be ‘the best’ at everything so long as it’s close.

Despite all the issues in the peice above, they are still in a strong position. They just need to consolidate on what they are best at (style, app design and customer support)

By: Deepak Bhakoo

Deepak Bhakoo — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:14:00 +0000

now thats a wonderful article :)
though i am a fan of htc, but every point covered here is absolutely correct. go htc go… you can become the number 1. no doubts about it :)

By: Brian Praetorius

Brian Praetorius — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:05:00 +0000

You don’t understand how society works, do you? They haven’t had enough time to release a plethora of devices with Beats integrated, being that this is a fairly recent event in the last few months. And since when is a camera the determining factor on if a phone is good or not? Oh sorry I forgot that Apple determines what is good and what is not in technology.

By: Nic Bell

Nic Bell — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:49:00 +0000

One of the problems OEMs face in the US, that they no longer face in the EU, is carriers.

In the US HTC have to make several phones for every one EU phone. Each US carrier wants the “exclusive” HTC wants to sell on more than one carrier so they make flagships for each US carrier. Vivid (AT&T), EVO Design 4G (Sprint), Amaze 4G (T-Mobile), Hero S (US Cellular) and then Verizon
say we want a better exclusive HTC release the Rezound awesome hardware in a sensation style body.

If you remove US carrier exclusives from HTCs line-up you are left with far fewer devices. This problem stems from HTCs roots of making carrier branded Window Mobiles. Somehow they’ve managed to get away from that in the EU but not in the US.

By: Michal Brzezinski

Michal Brzezinski — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:31:00 +0000

Sensation XL is the worst example ever for me-too handset…

By: Tadej Rudec

Tadej Rudec — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:15:00 +0000

I see, looks like more crowded market then in EU (or globally). Here’s mostly 1,2 devices per price range and new phones won’t come that often.

I presume those are also US carrier branded devices, in which carrier have no f’ing clue what will sell and what not.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:51:00 +0000

HTC’s real problem is all to do with software – Sense and updates. Sense has lost it’s value proposition, as the article rightly says, and as updates have slowed down on my phone that’s less than a year old, I will look around the next time I’m in the market.

One of the main reasons I bought HTC in the first place was their reputation for prompt OS updates at the time. Now that’s gone, so is one of their main marketing weapons.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:47:00 +0000

This post is a reply to 50000. I hit reply, but don’t know how this forum is organised. Oh Well…

An MS fanboy. But you obviously haven’t read the background to the Barnes and Noble case. MSs behaviour in the whole market is despicable and will backfire on them. In the long run it will be the patent troll that will suffer. Go with WP7? That’s the liability.

By: 50000

50000 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:50:00 +0000

Yes they have a license agreement in place with Microsoft. This obviously does not cover other parties’ patents, only Microsoft’s. They can and are being sued by others, and future liability remains. And no I didn’t say base all the business on Windows Phone, I said retain demand based Android for economies of scale until it stops paying off to do so (eg. When royalty payments for Android exceed $30 will it still be profitable to sell Android based devices… How about $50… The ceiling is not known nor is fixed). The license agreement for Windows Phone clearly states that Microsoft will defend patent infringement cases.

And this is only with regards to patent liability, the after-sales cost of Android is something of concern given the number of bugs in Android and again there is a lower cost for them to not only sell Windows Phone but also to maintain their customer base after the sale.

Also if HTC has 45 million units a year to bring to the table, then they are idiots if they are unable to negotiate preferential treatment with Microsoft.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:32:00 +0000

Umm. I’m not the biggest HTC fan — I won’t be buying the Rezound (a) because of the name and (b) because of my experience with the battery on my Incredible. But “left with what suppliers will allow them”??? Really?? You do know that the Rezound just kicked EVERY display on the market to the curb, right? 720p resolution crammed onto 4.3 inches. It is glorious to behold, and bests even the Retina Display. Couple that with a mighty fine camera and the latest Qualcomm 1.5 Ghz screamer, and it is hardly some franken phone of mediocre parts. To say that somehow HTC isn’t getting the creme de la creme components because it is not a supplier itself seems like pure hogwash.

By: Nigel Brown

Nigel Brown — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:09:00 +0000

“I’ve never seen or read anyone say they wanted a phone with Sense”

That’s definitely truer of late, but when I was looking to get my first Android phone (orignal Desire) coming from a Windows mobile driven Xperia X1, it was Sense that made me take the bait. I’d seen HTC’s eye-catching UI on Windows mobile devices (I remember being in awe of an HD handset running Windows mobile 6.1… can’t remember it’s name) and when I saw it on a shiny, pretty Android I knew I had to have it!

Ah, memories!

The Desire and Sense was a fantastic introduction to Android, but like so many others I got tired of it getting in the way.

I got my Galaxy Nexus on Saturday, and could not see myself going back to Sense — ever.

By: Enoel69

Enoel69 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:58:00 +0000

DOES HTC HAVE THE BALLS TO MAKE A FEW DEVICES WITH PURE ANDROID? They should recognize by now that a huge segment don’t want their device laden with bloatware (even sense ui which is good)…case in point all the ppl now clamoring to get their hands on the new Nexus device. I will like to point out here that if HTC makes the quad core EDGE a pure ICS device with penta band just like u have w/ the GSM G-Nex…one device capable of working on most GSM networks in Europe, North America, Australia and beyond…the same interest shown for the G-Nex will befall such a device. They also have to make sure their devices have ample internal storage…minimum for all super devices should be 16GB or make 16/32GB models w/ a micro SD expansion. A device with 1 to 2GB of RAM, more powerful batteries 1800-2000mAh, 8-12Mpx cams w/ advance optics, 4.5″ 720p HD screens either super amoled plus or super advanced LCD, the device doesn’t necessarily have to be thinner than 8″…will sacrifice a little thickness for a bigger battery. A Qualcomm S4, Tegra 3 or TI OMAP 4470 should be running the show…these new chips give u a wide range of bands for multiple carriers just in one device. In my view HTC can never go wrong w/ such a device if they just have the guts to do it with pure virgin Android. As i look at my two year old Nexus one..u can see how incredibly sturdy the device looks…that is really HTC at its core. Some of the limitations of my N1 right now are…the amount of internal storage, RAM, battery size, maybe the 5Mpx camera, 3.7″ amoled screen and probably the 1Ghz snapdragon Qualcomm chip…but for that it is one awesome device that still handles its own even with all the crop of new devices and all improvements that have been made in cellular tech since it was made two yrs ago.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:50:00 +0000

US handsets. I can only speak from where I live. Samsung is launching a phone every month here. And this isn’t all the handsets that just launched.

By: Marlon

Marlon — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:27:00 +0000

You do know that HTC pays Microsoft per Android phone for patent protection right? Your entire argument doesn’t even exist. If there is a situation where their Microsoft patent lease didn’t cover them on the Android front, it also wouldn’t cover them on the WP7 front. As for moving their primary focus to Windows Phone, they are not allowed to modify the OS in any way, but Nokia is, that situation is already setup for failure. Nokia can easily match them on hardware, and will be able to trump them on software, every Windows Phone manufacturer(not named Nokia) is fighting with one of their hands behind their back, it’s a fools game to base your entire business on that unless Microsoft is willing to cut you the same deal that they cut Nokia.

By: 50000

50000 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:08:00 +0000

The problem is Android is basically a cancer that is slowly eating away the insides of the largest companies that produce devices based on it. Since Google doesn’t sell Android, it is not the target for lawsuits, rather the lawsuits are targeted at the companies selling Android – the OEMs such as HTC, Samsung, etc. As HTC sells millions upon millions more Android phones, not only their liability increases with this, they also become more of a lucrative target for holders of patents being infringed by Android. Every Android device sold should be recorded in the books as a liability to anticipate the future legal costs.

HTC has built its business over the last 2 years on Android, and it needs to hedge its business with a safe alternative, fast.Given that Microsoft guarantee full protection for the OEMs of Windows Phone, the liability for HTC for every Windows Phone device it sells is zero. No damages to pay in court, no injunctions blocking import or sale of devices, no money wasted on endless litigation, and very importantly no doubt for the future of the company as it sells more and more devices.

When you compare the HTC Titan with the Android offerings from HTC there is a world of difference, yet when you see what is being marketed outside and promoted in the shops, it is not the Titan, it is in fact the crappy Android units being pushed to consumers. This is going to kill HTC in the long run (actually in the next year or two) if they keep doing it.

They should produce two flagship Windows Phone devices, a bunch of budget Windows Phone devices of various form factors, and two Windows 8 tablets, while retaining a demand-based Android bunch of phones to keep economies of scale up until Android collapses.

Peter is nuts to run the company as he is. 45 million phones is a massive liability for royalties and court-imposed damages to pay. It’s equivalent to building a company based on selling copied DVDs, and then having to pay the damages years down the line.

HTC build quality is fine – you get what you pay for. If only they’d make more Titans and less Android stuff then they could establish a solid footprint for the future of their company. But if Peter’s KPIs revolve around number of units sold this year then he will drive the company off the cliff – which he is doing very well at this point.

By: Jeffroks

Jeffroks — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:38:00 +0000

HTC has lost focus, and nowhere is this more apparent than the subpar cameras and camcorders they continue to put in their phones, even high end offerings. Here’s a new strategy, HTC, stop using crappy phones and camcorders. Also, put Beats in more than one stupid phone. Oh, and did I mention you need to really stop using sucky cameras and camcorders?

By: Tadej Rudec

Tadej Rudec — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:11:00 +0000

And silently die, while you have no apps to offer.

By: Tadej Rudec

Tadej Rudec — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:06:00 +0000

Are those US based phones ? Can’t recognize any in sale here in EU.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:36:00 +0000

Don’t underestimate the Taiwanese ability to innovate. Taiwan and a huge number of its industries has a vested interest in seeing HTC succeed. HTC may not itself be a display manufacturer, but Taiwan is a top producer of quality displays, too, and business is fast and fluid in that island nation.

By: Erik

Erik — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:16:00 +0000

I totally agree. Applying that logic to the hardware component of things I must say I definitely would take an HTC over a Samsung purely based on the design. I must say I understand what others have been saying in this thread with regards to having too many phones on the market and all being really similar, but I like what I see. With Samsung I always love the specs and screen and dislike their design approach. Always makes me wonder how hard it must be to come up with a truly beautiful industrial design. Just my personal opinion, so I couldn’t really even argue for it.

By: Erik

Erik — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:56:00 +0000

Nice, yet another one of you guys. Right, if you repeat it long enough it might actually turn out to become true at some point. In the meantime you could try out a truly unique OS and if you weren’t so blatantly narrow-minded you might find you like it. Geez, we had to put up with children like you for years when xBox came out. I cannot wait for the day when this immature babble quiets down for WP, too.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:30:00 +0000

You know who owns half of SLCD? Samsung..

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:29:00 +0000

So what is so bad about Samsung’s build quality and software?

They were the only ones leveraging hardware acceleration in gingerbread and plastic is an automatic shit build quality? I have no creaks or flex on my SGS2

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:27:00 +0000

With samsung, they’re not releasing different models of flagship every two seconds.
They’ve established a flagship model line and releases it as an variant based on the feature set

By: Redmond Jennings

Redmond Jennings — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:42:00 +0000

Good point, although the Nexus S was behind the curve on hardware and Sprint’s Nexus S 4G had (and probably still has) terrible connectivity issues while the EVO is a great piece of hardware that was very cutting edge. We’ll see how the super specced Galaxy Nexus does (assuming Google and Samsung have learned their lesson and actually put it together right).
I’ve never seen or read anyone say they wanted a phone with Sense or (worse) TouchWiz or (worst) Moto-Blur. When people express a preference for OS it’s for pure Android. I liked my Vibrant (GS1) and I like my Epic Touch (GS2) but I’d like them even better with timely updates and if I didn’t have to root them to clear out tons of crapware.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:23:00 +0000

LG failed, because they didn’t invest in Android and relied on feature phones to carry them through. Windows Phone had nothing to do with LG’s decline.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:20:00 +0000

Another G phone did come out. It’s called the G2X, made by LG.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:18:00 +0000

the truth is that the Nexus line got alot of hype but the Nexus S (Samsung) and the original Nexus (HTC) weren’t huge sellers. They sold a whole lot more EVO’s in a few months (which has full Sense) than both devices combined.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:16:00 +0000

The problem with this is that everyone would basically have the same hardware. Sense is a differentiator for HTC, like Touchwiz is for Samsung and MotoBlur was for Motorola.

The solution isn’t ditching Sense, which has been proven to be a good user experience for the non-techie, it is offering choice, which includes Stock Android, a lite version of Sense and Full on Sense.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:11:00 +0000

I think they were the first with LTE at Verizon (Thunderbolt) and ATT (Vivid), the first with qHD (Sensation) and HD (Rezound), the first with a 4.3 in screen (HD2), the first with WiMax (Evo), the First with Android phone (G1), the first with Windows 7 (HD7).

HTC has done alot of stuff right and often play in the forefront of technology. They don’t always get it the best (I see Samsung as often a fast follower in the industry) but I give HTC props for trying new things out.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:05:00 +0000

My personal feeling isn’t the number of handsets that HTC launches, but is there an HTC out there for me?

At the end of the day, who cares how many phones ANY OEM launches? You only need the RIGHT one for you.

And if you are worried that the next month another technology will come out to make your phone obsolete, my suggestion is to pay full price and be willing to sell your phone on Ebay to fund your next purchase.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:05:00 +0000

My personal feeling isn’t the number of handsets that HTC launches, but is there an HTC out there for me?

At the end of the day, who cares how many phones ANY OEM launches? You only need the RIGHT one for you.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:05:00 +0000

My personal feeling isn’t the number of handsets that HTC launches, but is there an HTC out there for me?

At the end of the day, who cares how many phones ANY OEM launches? You only need the RIGHT one for you.

By: mactoc

mactoc — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:05:00 +0000

LG was almost going to go bankrupt, after having invested in wp7

Wp7 has failed

By: mactoc

mactoc — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:05:00 +0000

LG was almost going to go bankrupt, after having invested in wp7

Wp7 has failed

By: mactoc

mactoc — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:05:00 +0000

LG was almost going to go bankrupt, after having invested in wp7

Wp7 has failed