As the One M8 takes over as HTC's flagship device from its predecessor, the Taiwanese company has posted a large Q4 loss of $62 million.
The HTC One was lauded by critics and owners for its smart design and efficient performance, but that unfortunately did not translate to massive sales. It has kept the company afloat with moderate success, but against giant marketing machines Apple and Samsung, the phone struggled to grab a significant share of the market.
Hopefully, the One M8 is not destined for a similar fate. It has so far started off on the same foot, receiving very positive reviews when it was simultaneously revealed and launched last month, but it remains to be seen whether it too will struggle in regards to sales numbers.
It is by all accounts an attractive, solidly built smartphone that runs an efficient, useful operating system. The main concerns have been over the quality of its camera, particularly in bright lighting, which underperforms compared to the device's competition.
An advantage the phone has for now is time--it got a slight head start on Samsung's Galaxy S5, which launches on Friday, and Apple's next iPhone still has yet to even be revealed at this point in time. The One M8 is still competing with the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S, but those in the market for the new phone may decide to go with HTC's device amidst the positive buzz, in lieu of other options.
It is by all reports a very good smartphone--some even saying the best so far--and so has earned good sales numbers in terms of quality. But we'll have to wait and see if that will be rewarded against Samsung and Apple, as they outspend HTC on marketing by around $280 million. HTC has a lot riding on the device, and it may not be able to stick around if the One M8 is not a hit.
Source: CNET
