HTC has another poor quarter, will now focus on low-end phones

Earlier today, HTC reported their fourth quarter earnings, posting another poor three-month period, as expected. Worse, the company forecasted a further decline in profit and revenue for the Q1 2014.

Revenue fell to NT$42.9 billion ($1.4 billion USD), a full 28 percent decline year-over-year. Net profit for the quarter was NT$0.31 billion (nearly $10 million) and operating margins fell apart to -3.7 percent.

HTC forecasted that its revenue will drop in the Q1 to NT$34 billion ($1.12 billion), marking the third straight quarter of declines following a little boost from the HTC One launch.

The company will also change its focus again, this time to the lower-end smartphone market which should open up its products to hundreds of millions of new potential buyers. CEO Cher Wang says the phone maker will move to more phones priced between $150 to $300.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Feb 2014 22:23

1nsan3

I used to love HTC phones! but they started making more junk at higher prices..So I moved to samsung. better devices and they do what I want them to do. so for the past few years been with samsung and probebly wont leave them either.

I ghad the Note, then moved to the galaxy mega. only problem with the mega is the bootloader is locked so ya cant install custom roms yet... most of there other phones are bootloader-unlocked why they locked the mega I dont know Why. but hey i bought it for the size lol

p.s. why focus on low end phones when noone is gonna buy them. we want HIGH END!!

i want quad core big screen and lots of storage space. and a good graphics card.

u can take your low end flip phone and cram it lol stop wasting your money on making these and give the sweat shops a break lol.

For Sale:

Parachute, Used Once, never opened small stain.
Best Offer!

11.2.2014 18:01 #1

SomeBozo

I agree with 1nsan3, make garbage customers leave. I'd simply call it product karma, seriously why haven't HTC and Blackberry simply closed up shop and call it quits, look how much money they will save. OH! or another novel idea, stop producing garbage and come out with something worth buying and providing people with something they really want, sure seems like a number of successful companies have no problems doing this.

12.2.2014 01:39 #2

morphx

Originally posted by 1nsan3: I used to love HTC phones! but they started making more junk at higher prices..So I moved to samsung. better devices and they do what I want them to do. so for the past few years been with samsung and probebly wont leave them either.

I ghad the Note, then moved to the galaxy mega. only problem with the mega is the bootloader is locked so ya cant install custom roms yet... most of there other phones are bootloader-unlocked why they locked the mega I dont know Why. but hey i bought it for the size lol

p.s. why focus on low end phones when noone is gonna buy them. we want HIGH END!!

i want quad core big screen and lots of storage space. and a good graphics card.

u can take your low end flip phone and cram it lol stop wasting your money on making these and give the sweat shops a break lol.
"p.s. why focus on low end phones when noone is gonna buy them. we want HIGH END!!"

This is a very arrogant and elitist statement.

So you speak for the masses? who's we? you?

nobody is going to buy a low end phone? who says, you?

Just because you want and can afford, "high end" smart phones, doesn't mean everyone can.

There are some poor people in the world, you know? lots of people are out of work, collecting unemployment and even if they do work, they are still below the poverty line.

This opens up a huge market for low end phones with great features at affordable prices.

You look foolish, making sweeping statements about what people want and wouldn't buy.

I know lots of people, that only want a simple phone, without all the bells and whistles. or its a simple case of affordability, so one has to be frugal.

There is a huge market for low end smart phones. Its obvious that HTC and Black berry, don't have the financial reserves to go head to head with Samsung and apple, so they have no choice but to change their strategy, toward the low end market.

These companies can have a second life, if they price their phones, below samsung and apple's prices.

18.2.2014 04:39 #3

ChikaraNZ

HTC used to be great. Problem seems to be they can't figure out what market to target. Are they going for all segments? Or just high-end? Or just low-end? Their strategy keeps changing.
I think they should target a high-end niche, rather that low-end personally. They always used to have a great reputation for build quality and finishing, when is perfect for the high-end consumers. There's plenty of other market players for lower-end stuff.

But, they have to fix 3 main problems I think:
- Support SD cards
- Support removeable batteries
- Improve the camera

8.3.2014 23:34 #4

AfterDawn: News