The HTC One was a success, but it wasn’t enough and its success was not replicated by the One Mini or One Max. The company is expected to hold an earnings guidance presentation today, but CFO Chialin Chang has already shed some light on HTC’s plans.
Chang said HTC will focus on products in the $150 to $300 price range, which should sell in emerging and developed markets. HTC will still continue to make high-end devices with a retail price of about $600. Chang stressed that the company will not get into the “very, very low-end market” whatever that means.
However, this does not mean HTC will forget about flagship devices. Chang said the “two cylinders are going to be fired together,” so HTC shouldn’t neglect premium products, either.
Although HTC is talking about developed and emerging markets, the focus is clearly on the latter. HTC does not have that many products in the $150 to $300 range and these devices are hot sellers in much of Asia, reports Reuters.
However, the fastest growing price bracket in China is even cheaper – Chinese consumers are crazy about cheap smartphones, priced at less than $150. HTC does not want to mess with them and this niche will obviously be left to Chinese smartphone makers to divide amongst themselves.