HTC Corp (宏達電) aims to return to its place as one of Taiwan’s top three smartphone vendors next quarter and to introduce more commercial virtual-reality (VR) solutions to expand its domestic business, a company executive said yesterday.
“We are adjusting our pricing strategy and product portfolio to secure the title of ‘top three’ smartphone vendor in the home market again,” HTC general manager and senior marketing officer Darren Chen (陳柏諭) told a news conference.
HTC ranked fourth in terms of total smartphone shipments and revenue in Taiwan last year, but the gap between HTC and third-placed Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) is narrowing, Chen said.
Apple Inc was the largest smartphone vendor in Taiwan with a market share of 22.95 percent, ahead of Samsung Electronics Co’s 20.68 percent and Asustek’s 12.7 percent, according to statistics released by local tech site ePrice.com on Feb. 21. HTC’s market share was 9.09 percent, the data showed.
HTC does not plan to price handsets at more than NT$20,000 (US$683.50), as Apple and Samsung have secured the high-end market, Chen said.
HTC’s most popular products in Taiwan are priced between NT$5,000 and NT$20,000, and the company plans to introduce five or six models in this segment, he said.
Chen declined to confirm market speculation that the firm is to unveil its next-generation models of the HTC U series next month.
Aiming to raise its brand recognition and strengthen its connection with local consumers, HTC yesterday launched a music video in collaboration with its regional brand ambassador, the Taiwanese rock band Mayday (五月天).
The company also held a developer conference for VR and augmented-reality technologies at its headquarters in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店).
HTC launched its “HTC Vive classroom” in China, which offers a distance education platform, to a positive reception, Chen said.
HTC will increase efforts in building business-to-business solutions in Taiwan this year, such as distance learning, virtual firefighting training and driving simulations for automakers, he said.
HTC’s combined sales in the first two months of this year plunged 35.54 percent annually to NT$6.01 billion, a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange on Tuesday showed.
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