HTC has a lot riding on its new flagship smartphone, the HTC One. The company believes that this new smartphone will be THE smartphone to get HTC out of its financial rut. HTC’s CEO, Peter Chou, has also stated that if the HTC One is not successful, he will step down as CEO. Chou spoke with HTC’s senior executives late last year about his decision, and is going all in with the HTC One.
Chou’s bet was a good bet, seeing as how reviewers and consumers alike have been praising the HTC One and its premium build. However, despite glowing reviews of HTC’s new flagship smartphone, both Chou and HTC had an unexpected change in fortune. The company had difficulties securing the supplies necessary to get the HTC One shipped out by its mid-March deadline.
The delay in shipping was unsettling for both HTC and resellers alike. Many businesses were planning on selling the phone mid-March, and HTC hoped to get the devices in the hands of consumers before the Samsung GALAXY S 4 hit the shelves. The company said that its supply woes occurred because it is no longer considered a “tier-one customer”. It lost its status due to its lack of phone shipments last year.
HTC still hopes to satisfy pre-orders by the end of March, and get the HTC One out to several markets at the beginning of April. However, since its about 2-3 weeks late on shipments, there’s a good chance that the Samsung GALAXY S 4, which is said to be launching by the end of April, will have a huge effect on HTC’s sales. The device will also see competition from Sony’s flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z.
HTC faces an uphill battle, but hopefully the hype surrounding its flagship device is enough to drive customers away from the S 4 and into its direction. HTC also has a new marketing officer, and it plans on dramatically improving its marketing plans this year in order to get its devices known and out there. On the plus side, many consumers are impressed by the HTC One, and have said that they are planning on getting it as their next device.
[via SlashGear]
Let’s help Peter Chou keep his job. Everyone, buy this beast when it comes out!
I want this phone but no u.s release date got me considering the samsuck note 2
Peter Chou better start updating his resumé.
Yup, because Samsung’s marketing machine will kill HTC One.
The HTC One is a great product but they are too small to say anything to Apple or Samsung.
He better start lookin!
I’m tellin u it will b Samsung and apple the rest will b fightin over the crumbs,that’s, that!@
nothing about this phone screams hey i gotta have it! htc will not be getting me as a customer anytime soon.
I would buy this phone over the S4 if it had a MicroSD, although I would like to see a bigger/removable battery and shipped with 4.2 also. Especially with the delays bumping it up to the S4, there is much less incentive to buy now. Better update that resume.
HTC EVO then HTC EVO 3d is smailler like the HTC EVO better
will get the HTC one .
dude start looking for a new job .
phone need removalble Sdcard and battery .
I just hope the HTC one don’t crash and I need to remove the battery to reboot trust me I have to do that on my HTC EVO 3d every week.
some times the phone just stop responding pull the battery back in I’m good to go.
hint hint.. The evo 3d was a flop before it ever even came out.. Never have those issues with OG evo, or evo lte. The 3d shouldn’t have even been given the evo name.
how about trying to release more timely updates that would prob get a lot more people to buy it. just look at the nexus
HTC One’s have been spotted in AT&T stores being shown to employees. Not long now I hope!
The release date is far too late now HTC really needed the original release date, customers are losing even more faith as the release date has been pushed back two more times making it nearly a full month later that expected!. Samsung don’t even need to try and sell their new s4 at it sell’s it’s self, I’ve ordered the HTC one as it was the end of my contract and i needed a new phone but the release dates only around 20 days off the s4 now so you can bet more people are looking at it and will think s4 all the way. I’m afraid Peter Chou may be looking for a new job even though this phone has everything as it wont topple Samsung and the release date is a total failure.