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HTC revenues could rise by 20 percent, executive says

High Tech Computer Corp (HTC, 宏達電), the world's biggest maker of phones running on Microsoft software, said yesterday that revenues could grow by 20 percent in the current quarter primarily on the back of strong demand for its new handsets.

Business from its own-brand mobile phones and those supplied to major telecoms operators were expected to grow by more than 40 percent year-on-year, chief financial officer Cheng Hui-ming (鄭慧明) told investors.

The business accounted for more than 90 percent of its revenues of NT$29.11 billion (US$897 million) last quarter.

"The growth momentum for our new products is quite good in the fourth quarter and the first quarter," Cheng said.

DEBUTS

The Taoyuan-based HTC is debuting its new handset for the T-Mobile US telecoms operator today and will introduce a high-speed third-generation (3G) phone featuring a touch screen for US wireless service provider Sprint Nextel Corp early next month.

The phone maker intends to launch at least six new models this quarter.

GPHONE

Cheng declined to comment on speculation that HTC could make gPhones for search-engine giant Google Inc.

Cheng said that gross margin would be stable compared with the third quarter's 37.9 percent, adding that price pressure was moderate amid fast-growing demand for handsets using functions that are similar to that of PCs, Cheng said.

OWN BRAND

HTC decided to sell own-brand phones last summer and rolled out its first flagship Touch series in June, in direct competition with Apple Computer Inc's iPhone.

It said it had sold 800,000 units of the Touch series phone as of the third quarter.

Cheng said smartphones were growing to become the first choice for consumers, partly because of the launch of the iPhone.

Earlier this month, HTC said net income rose 11 percent to NT$7.43 billion from July to last month, from NT$6.71 billion a year ago.

Share prices of HTC advanced 0.88 percent to NT$687 yesterday.
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