HTC wants a hug after glum Q1 estimates

HTC could be in for a spot of bother in 2012 after its Q1 outlook missed analysts’ estimates. Commentators suggest the firm may struggle to compete with Apple, Samsung and the wealth of handset manufacturers crowding this increasingly competitive space. The Taiwanese hardware manufacturer forecast revenue of about NT$65bn to …

[Jas 1]

Too many products

I'm now on my second HTC Android phone, Desire then Sensation.

I still have 6 months left on my HTC Desire contract, and can't count how many new "higher?" spec handsets have been out since then.

It's all very well keeping up with the Joneses, but it gives the consumer, that has invested in a 2 year commitment with a handset, the feeling that they've been abandoned. I got my HTC Sensation last July, then there was Sensation XL Sensation XE Sensation with Beats Audio, and who knows what will be revealed at MWC.

I know things are moving fast, but a new top handset every month is just taking the P

[dotdavid]

You're right

I also think they shouldn't be as accommodating when carriers ask for their varient of Phone X to be called something completely different, which only adds to the confusion and the appearance of a large range of basically identical phones.

A bit of an old example here, but the HTC Magic is the same thing as the NTT docomo HT-03A and the T-Mobile myTouch 3G according to Wikipedia. I think HTC have a strong-enough brand now (especially with Sense) to be able to stick their fingers up at the meddling carriers. I mean, you don't see Nokia releasing carrier-branded handsets.

[LarsG]

THEN PRODUCE...

A phone that out performs all the others and one you can update as soon as issues arise rather than waiting months

And

Futureproof it by upgrading it to new OS when available,

And

Make it pretty.

[Chris Parsons]

If people stopped buying, they'd stop doing it...but that's capitalism.

[Anonymous Coward]

What did they expect?

They wasted their time on that Windows Phone disaster....

They should have concentrated on making great Android handsets they they were a couple of years back. The Legend was well legendary....

[Tim Brown 1]

Very successful business only successful

My heart bleeds. They have revenue of £1.5 BILLION with a 7.5 margin, so estimated £112.5 million profit.

If only I ran a business with 'problems' like that!

[NoneSuch]

Samsung...

Buy HTC and sort them out.

Then go forth and slay the Apple hydra.

[admiraljkb]

Headline for this story was incorrect

HTC wants a hug after glum Q1 estimates (incorrect)

HTC wants a reacharound after glum Q1 estimates (fixed it for you)

[GrumpyOldBloke]

Loose the spyware

I have been quite happy with my HTC Android phone but the next one will not be HTC. Companies that cant resist the corporate urge to include spyware and unneeded data logging software in their devices do not deserve to survive – I appreciate how hypocritical this comment is given that I am using a Google OS.

[Tony Paulazzo]

HTC Desire owner here, coming to end of a two year contract, looking at one of the Samsung ones now, why? because the speaker in the Desire is worse than crap. Everything else is great, no complaints (except for the lack of upgrades - thanks Virgin Mobile), but that one annoyance has now put me off HTC for life.

Here's an idea, instead of concentrating so hard on end of quarter figures, get back to concentrating on customers and quality of product, then you might actually get repeat business.