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The first glimpse of the sequel to the HTC One could be just weeks away, but HTC admits the company “took its eyes off the ball” with the One and will focus more on cheaper phones this year.
The launch event for the One’s follow-up — known in leaks as the HTC M8 or possibly the One 2 — will be confirmed in about two weeks, when invitations are due to go in the mail.
Discussing the ailing Taiwanese company’s recent financial performance with Reuters, HTC admits that focusing on the flagship One meant it didn’t make enough of the more affordable middle ground over the past year. To rectify that, the company plans to focus more on phones priced from $150 to $300 in both developed markets — like the US and UK — and emerging markets, which could include India and China.
HTC won’t wade into the “very, very low-end market”, however, echoing sentiments expressed late last year by HTC’s Senior Global Online Communications Manager Jeff Gordon, who argued that “Competing against Huawei, ZTE, and eventually Amazon, for low end, razor-thin margins is a fool’s game.”
The HTC One couldn’t translate its quality into quantity over the past year, its sales disappointing compared with high-end rivals from Apple and Samsung. Even Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr couldn’t stop HTC making a loss for the first time ever.
The follow-up to the HTC One is heavily rumoured to be codenamed the M8 and currently tipped to show up in March, possibly packing a 5-inch, 1080p screen. Recent interviews with HTC bosses also suggest a smart watch or other wearable device is on the cards too.
Is HTC on the right track or heading for another bad year? Tell me your thoughts in the comments.
