HTC had a poor 2012, with the One range not selling as well as expected and Samsung starting the big stride into the US and international market, pushing past Apple in overall smartphone sales worldwide.
The Taiwanese smartphone maker decided making one phone per year would be a good solution to keep the business solid and stop users from getting confused on which phone was their flagship. They also pushed for more exclusive features on their smartphone, instead of a simplistic palette.
HTC One was this new smartphone, and it hit astoundingly good reviews across the board, with many giving the smartphone a very high rating. The reviewers found the premium aluminium build, powerful specs, immersive display and Ultrapixel camera made the phone an excellent choice, amidst the dense Android spectrum.
Unfortunately, HTC has not been able to ship the device out to many who pre-ordered or wanted to purchase it, as the necessary parts have not shipped quickly enough. Most problems seem to be coming from the Ultrapixel camera HTC has developed for the One.
With this huge delay, HTC has only made $20 million profit this quarter, making it the most unsuccessful quarter since the company first started in 1997. Some agencies are reporting this could make HTC a potential acquisition target.
The One has shipped to only three of the eighty countries it was suppose to, and delays have been pushed back into April and may spur on into June. With the Samsung Galaxy S4 out now and Google I/O in mid April, the HTC One may be left out when it finally ships worldwide.
HTC is also working with Facebook to bring the HTC First to market, at the same time trying to fix the problems with the HTC One supply line. Next quarter will be crucial for the smartphone maker, if they cannot get production and sales going, then they may have to call it quits.
