HTC hires marketing exec who led Samsung to smartphone dominance
It’s no secret, HTC has an image problem. Despite consistently creating some of our favorite phones, it’s failed to reach the heights of popularity of manufacturers like Samsung. That could soon change. In what is almost certainly not a coincidence, HTC has hired Samsung’s former Chief Marketing Officer, Paul Golden. The Verge confirmed the rumor, first picked up by Bloomberg, earlier this afternoon. Golden, who “created and launched the highly successful Galaxy brand for Samsung,” according to his LinkedIn profile, was reportedly hired on as a consultant to Chairwoman Cher Wang.
Among other achievements, Golden attributes his work on the Galaxy brand with “a 4X increase in market share (from 4.5% to 21.0%) in the strategically critical smartphone segment.” HTC has repeatedly pointed back to marketing as one of its weakest points. In 2013, CEO Peter Chou pointed to weak marketing as the reason for poor financial performance, and, as Bloomberg point out, Wang reiterated that issue on April 8th, saying, “We just have to communicate well with our customers. I believe if we can communicate better, we will do better.”
With Robert Downey Jr. holding down the cats and Golden’s ability to bolster the next big thing, perhaps it’s finally HTC’s time to shine.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, HTC
Via: Slashgear, Engadget Spanish
Optical zoom tipped to hit HTC handsets in 2015
Like most companies in the smartphone game, HTC wants to pack its top-of-the-range devices with powerful camera tech, and that’s no longer just a case of adding more megapixels. The new HTC One (M8), for instance, hosts a pair of Ultrapixel cameras on its rear that allow you manipulate depth-of-field, among other special features. Talking with UK carrier Vodafone on HTC’s roadmap for camera tech, imaging guru Symon Whitehorn claimed “we could be 4K ready now,” if it actually made sense to do so (burn, Sony). Whitehorn also mused that with phones well on their way to making point-and-shoot cameras obsolete, we could see performance encroach on DSLR territory within two years. To make that happen, however, handsets need to incorporate optical zooming, which according to Whitehorn “is not too far off at all for HTC.” He wouldn’t “give too much away,” he said, “but within 12-18 months we’ll see huge advances in phone optics.” If HTC is indeed this close to adding optical zoom to it camera tech repertoire, let’s hope it can keep things classy — something previous attempts have universally failed to do.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile, HTC
Source: Vodafone
What would a HTC Nexus phone look like? Greg Ives thinks he Knows
There’s been a lot of noise about Nexus phones and manufacturers ever since the Nexus 5 was released. Who will the next Nexus phone be made by? What version of Android will it be running? This is all just pure conjecture, but it keeps the rumour mill turning. I know that I personally don’t believe LG is going to be making any more Nexus phones (read my reasoning here), and probably one of the crowd favourites to take up the Nexus line of smartphones would be HTC; whether there’s any truth to that is up to you. And if you were wondering what a HTC Nexus phone might look like, Greg Ives thinks he has a pretty good idea.
The above concept render was made by Greg Ives (not to be confused with Apple head designer Jony Ive) and features a very HTC-esque smooth metallic design for the body and some very familiar icons on the screen. These icons of course are the alleged improvements that Google is planning for the Android icons, though we’re not really sure when, or if, these icons are going to arrive.
All the same, at least we have food for thought. What do you think about the Nexus phone situation? Do you think a HTC Nexus phone is on the cards? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Source: Google+ via Concept Phones
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HTC allows devs to tap into the power of the One’s Duo Camera
The HTC One (M8) brought with it a load of new camera features, including its unique Duo Camera setup on its back side. Now, the handset maker is opening up the code that powers the pair in a SDK preview for third-party devs. This means that apps can be designed specifically for the M8′s cameras with DualLens and DimensionPlus APIs baked right in. In other words, developers will get their hands on that bokeh-style refocusing and multi-angled shot selection in addition to depth maps from the pair of cameras. Of course, only time will tell how eager app makers are to latch on to HTC’s smartphone snapshooting tricks, but at least now they’ll have the necessary tools to do so.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile
Source: HTC
The first HTC One will get Sense 6 in US and Canada by the end of May
Sorry, HTC, we’re still not going to call it the “Sixth Sense.” That’s the phone maker’s name for Sense 6, the latest version of its Android user interface. For the uninitiated, this is the update that comes preloaded on the new HTC One (M8) but is still in the works for older devices as well. Jason Mackenzie, the President of HTC America, announced today that we can expect Sense 6 to show up on the original One by the end of May.
Announcing a release timeframe is a pretty daring declaration for Mackenzie. Basically it means that HTC now has a self-imposed deadline of May 31st to get the new update pushed through carrier certification (for multiple networks in the US and Canada) and over the air, and it’s often nearly impossible to predict how difficult that process will be. Given the usual delays, it’s a pretty fair bet that Sense 6 will get out to unlocked versions of the original One in other parts of the world well before then, since the update doesn’t need to go through the intense network testing already required in North America.
We’ve reached out to HTC to see when the global units will get Sense 6, and we’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear back. The update is also planned for the One mini and One max, but we still haven’t heard any news on when to expect them to get it.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, HTC, Google
Via: Android and Me
Source: Twitter
Verizon Red HTC One M8 May be on the Horizon
Renowned leaker, evleaks has posted via twitter that we should expect a Glamour Red HTC One (M8) soon from Big Red. At the moment, this is merely a rumor, but evleaks is known for getting the rumor mill churning and has been right more times than not.
Sprint currently has the exclusive red color on the HTC One (M7), so it’s not far fetched that Verizon would have a red One (M8) this year.
Currently, Verizon offers the HTC One (M8) in gunmetal gray, amber gold, and glacial sliver, so a red option would add to their color offering
As always, this is a rumor until proven otherwise, so take it as such.
Stay tuned as more information is sure to come.
The post Verizon Red HTC One M8 May be on the Horizon appeared first on AndroidGuys.
HTC training slides show how HTC One M8 trumps Samsung Galaxy S5
A recent leak shows the HTC aren’t leaving it up to the consumers, benchmark scores, and reviews to prove that the HTC One M8 is better than the Samsung Galaxy S5; instead have created training material which has been distributed to sales reps across the US showing the top 5 reasons why the HTC One M8 is better.
HTC highlights a few factors that prove the HTC One M8 is superior, and the features singled out are quite straightforward: Metal Unibody Design, BoomSound front-facing speakers, Motion Launch gestures, Duo Camera, and HTC Advantage.
Whilst it should be obvious for sales reps to focus on the features which make the HTC One M8 against the competition, it’s interesting that HTC felt the need to specifically focus on comparing it to the Samsung Galaxy S5.
Let us know in the comments section below which device you prefer.
[Source: HTCSource]
The post HTC training slides show how HTC One M8 trumps Samsung Galaxy S5 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
“Oh, it’s on!”: Samsung sends John Legere a gold Samsung Galaxy S5 of its Own
Shots have now been fired. Earlier today, we reported that HTC America had sent T-Mobile CEO, John Legere, a HTC One M8 with a 24 carat gold finish as a gift, a photo of which he happily posted on his Twitter account. Not content to be beaten out by HTC, Samsung Mobile US has gifted to Legere a gold Samsung Galaxy S5 of their own, hand delivered by Samsung executive, Travis Warren. You can see it in the picture above, which is a selfie that could possibly have been taken with the gold HTC One M8. Ironic, no?
In the tweet with the gold Samsung Galaxy S5, Legere doesn’t mention that the device has a 24 carat gold finish as he did with the One M8, so it’s entirely likely that this is just a publicity stunt by Samsung to make sure it doesn’t look like HTC beat them at something. That said, it does look very gold, and who wouldn’t want to be choosing between two of the newest and best Android smartphones on the market which also happen to be gold. Man, do I want to be John Legere…
What do you think about Samsung’s response to HTC’s gold HTC One M8? Let us know what your opinion is in the comments.
Source: Twitter via Phone Arena
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Best prices and availability for the HTC One (M8)
Although the HTC One (M8) was announced a few weeks ago, some carriers are just now putting the phone up for sale. We’ve gathered a list of where you can buy the new HTC One on all carriers that have it listed so far.
We will update this page to the best of our ability. So if you see anything that needs updating, feel free to get back to us through our contact page!
Please note that the prices may change without notice.
- Contract-free
- Unlocked from HTC for $699.99
- Developer Edition from HTC for $699.99
- Verizon
- Purchase from the wireless provider for $199.99* or $25.22/mo. with Verizon Edge
- Purchase from Amazon Wireless for $149.99*
- Purchase from Best Buy for $149.99*
- Purchase from Radio Shack for $199.99*
- Purchase from Car Toys for $199.99*
- Purchase from HTC for $149.99*
- AT&T
- Purchase from the wireless provider for $199.99*
- Purchase from Amazon Wireless for $199.99*
- Purchase from Best Buy for $199.99*
- Purchase from Radio Shack for $199.99*
- Purchase from HTC for $199.99*
- Sprint
- Purchase from the wireless provider for $199.99*
- Purchase from Amazon Wireless for $149.99*
- Purchase from Best Buy for $199.99*
- Purchase from Radio Shack for $199.99*
- Purchase from Costco for $199.99*
- Purchase from HTC for $199.99*
- T-Mobile
- Purchase from the wireless provider for $636 or $26.50/mo. for 24 months
- HTC official site links back to T-Mobile.com
- Google Play Edition
- Purchase from Google Play for $699.99
*requires two-year service agreement on a qualified rate plan
There are still a hand full of carriers that will eventually get the HTC One (M8). Check back to this post in the coming weeks to see availability for other carriers.
The post Best prices and availability for the HTC One (M8) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
The HTC One M8 has a Google Play edition, but how is it different? (hands-on)
HTC’s latest flagship device, the One M8, is one of the best Android smartphones now available on the market, but what would happen to it if Google stripped the phone of some of its customizations? That’s essentially what the Google Play edition of the new One offers. Plunk down $699 and you’ll have access to an unlocked and (mostly) unadulterated version of the M8 with stock Android 4.4 (also known as KitKat).
Of course, we’ve been curious to see what will happen to the features that make the new One unique. HTC told us that the Google Play edition will be able to take advantage of the Duo Camera, for instance, but does it still offer the same functionality? Additionally, can we use the Motion Launch gestures to wake up the phone and access different features? And how about that clever Dot View case that comes in so handy on the Sense version? Look no further for the answers.
We won’t spend much time on the GPe’s hardware, because it’s exactly the same. You’re still going to get the same 5-inch 1080p display, 2,600mAh battery, BoomSound speakers, rear UltraPixel camera and 5MP front-facing selfie shooter. This particular model is a silver-colored 32GB version and comes with dual-band LTE (700MHz and AWS), which gives you next-gen speeds on AT&T and T-Mobile; no word yet on if we’ll see any regional variants outside the US. Finally, the GPe also has quad-band HSPA+ 21Mbps (850/AWS/1900/2100) and quad-band GSM/EDGE.
Let’s move onto the software, which is what makes the GPe unique and interesting. First, we’ll tackle the Duo Camera. If you’ve read our review, you’ll have a good grasp on what it’s all about. The M8 comes with two cameras on the back: there’s HTC’s 4MP UltraPixel sensor on the bottom and a smaller sensor on the top that’s primarily used for depth imaging. This setup gives you the ability to mess with a few more post-processing editing tricks than is offered on most other smartphones. HTC will also be throwing in options for developers to take advantage of the two rear cameras.
Frankly, it’d be silly to have extra hardware on a phone that’s completely unusable, so the Google Play edition will still take advantage of the Duo Camera functionality. Predictably, the app itself is the stock Google version, but the HTC magic comes out as soon as you enter the Photos app and try editing your shots. You’ll be prompted to open up “HTC Photo Edit,” and you’ll see a screen that looks much like what you’d find in the Sense gallery but with fewer options: UFocus, Dimension Plus and Touch Up are the only Duo Camera-esque effects listed, which means the Foregrounder, Seasons and Copy/Paste functions didn’t make the cut. (Filters, frames and tools are still hanging out on the right sidebar.) UFocus is our favorite of the Duo Camera options, so we’re glad to see it there, but Dimension Plus is a useless and gimmicky feature that we just don’t use very often.
Motion Launch is also around and it’s still pretty useful, but there’s one caveat. You can still double-tap to wake, press the volume button and lift the phone to activate the camera and swipe the screen in any direction to unlock it — all of the core features remain. The only thing it lacks is the ability to swipe different directions and have it do different things (ie. swipe down to activate voice dial).
The Dot View case also works, but again, it doesn’t get the full functionality it enjoys on the Sense version. On the Google Play edition, you can view the time and weather, but from what we can tell, there are no other notifications to take advantage of.
There’s one other nicety about the phone that shouldn’t go unnoticed: despite its Google branding, HTC still includes the device as part of its Advantage program, which means HTC will replace your screen for free if you break it within the first six months.
If you love the HTC One M8 hardware but prefer a stock Android experience (and one that will likely get updated faster), this is where the Google Play edition comes in handy. Interestingly, this particular version is a little unique compared to others of its kind, mainly due to the extra camera and motion gesture capabilities built into the hardware; there’s certainly still some HTC features that you wouldn’t normally find on, say, a Nexus phone. Whether or not this makes it any less of a vanilla Android device may be up to your own interpretation, but this kind of differentiation at least gives it a little more flavor than it otherwise would have. The best part: if you don’t like the extra features, simply turn them off.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, HTC, Google
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