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HTC, Qualcomm forge closer ties

High Tech Computer Corp chief executive officer Peter Chou, right, and his Qualcomm Inc counterpart Paul Jacobs pose with logos at a press conference in Taipei yesterday. HTC is set to launch more than 10 smartphone handsets using wireless chips from Qualcomm by the end of this year. PHOTO: SAM YEH, AFP

High Tech Computer Corp (HTC, 宏達電子), the world's largest maker of smartphones using Microsoft Corp's operating system, is hoping a partnership with Qualcomm Inc will help it win a larger share of the advanced handset market.

The phone maker said yesterday it would release more than 10 new 3.5 generation (3.5G) models in the second half of this year, all of which would have chips from the San Diego, California-based semiconductor company.

This will forge a closer partnership between the two companies, HTC CEO Peter Chou (周永明) told a joint press conference.

"Since our partnership began in 1998, Qualcomm has committed to providing us with the most cutting-edge technology in the industry," he said.

Hoping to make greater inroads into the 3G and 3.5G handset market, HTC is the first maker to introduce devices based on Qualcomm's latest dual-core chipsets, the MSM7500 and MSM7200.

Last Thursday, NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan's biggest mobile phone firm, said it would sell smartphones made by HTC and Fujitsu Ltd to attract corporate users.

"Since our partnership began in 1998, Qualcomm has committed to providing us with the most cutting-edge technology in the industry."

Peter Chou, High Tech Computer Corp CEO

HTC's HT1100, a touch-screen 3.5G model, will be available to DoCoMo subscribers from the first quarter of next year.

"Working successfully with these operators in Japan means that HTC technology and device quality have matched their standards," Chou said.

Although Japan is a tough market for foreign brands to penetrate, he said the country would remain an important market with substantial growth for HTC.

After seeing momentum from Asia, the Taiwanese maker is hoping to expand its market share in the US later this year.

"We haven't seen much growth in the US as we have a limited product line," Chou said, adding that it would put more 3G and 3.5G handsets bearing the HTC logo on the US market within a next few months.

Separately, Qualcomm said its ongoing legal dispute with rival Broadcom Corp would not affect phone shipments to the US.

Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs said in Taipei yesterday that the lawsuit was proceeding smoothly and negotiations for a deal were in progress.

Under a ruling issued by US International Trade Commission in June, millions of new cellphones containing certain Qualcomm semiconductors could be barred from import into the US.
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