backtop

Print 34 comment(s) - last by Alexvrb.. on Dec 19 at 12:46 AM
Low-resolution screen support scraps HTC project

Rumors are circulating that HTC has scrapped a project that would produce a 5” or larger smartphone using the new Windows Phone 8 operating system. Apparently, HTC couldn’t justify going with the larger screen due to Microsoft’s strict screen resolution requirements.

While there are Android smartphones in that pipeline that support resolutions as high as 1080p, Microsoft has limited Windows Phone 8 to a maximum of 720p (for now).
 
According to Bloomberg’s source, HTC was looking to pick a fight with Samsung’s Galaxy Note II smartphone, which features a 720p display. By offering a 1080p competitor, HTC would have some bragging rights against Samsung’s offering. However, display parity wouldn’t do much for HTC, which has been battered in recent months in the smartphone market.

Bloomberg reports that HTC's decision will deliver a blow to Microsoft and its efforts to compete with Android in the smartphone market. Consumers wanting a large-screen smartphone will have no choice but to go with Android offerings if they are shopping from HTC. 

Source: Bloomberg


Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
What screen size?
By melgross on 12/17/2012 10:57:43 AM , Rating: 4
The large majority of smartphones have screens averaging in the low 4" category. While these jumbo phones sell, they are only a small percentage of the market. If HTC can't compete where most of the phones are, why would they think they could compete in this much smaller market?

Considering all of the problems they have now, this was most likely due to a cash problem. Can they afford to put precious R&D funding into a small market segment right now? Probably not.

In addition, these 1080p screens are a gimmick. Once we get to 300ppi or so, higher Rez isn't doing anything worthwhile, unless people are looking at their screens through a magnifier.




RE: What screen size?
By Mint on 12/17/2012 2:18:17 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
they are only a small percentage of the market
Small percentage? Nearly one third of android phones had a screen of 4.5"+ in a quarter earlier this year:
http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/03/android-smartphon...
It's only going up.

Apple doesn't compete in the large screen market. That makes it much easier to grab a meaningful piece of the pie.


RE: What screen size?
By melgross on 12/17/2012 5:04:53 PM , Rating: 2
It's very interesting, but those large phones are selling much better here than anywhere else, no matter what the marketshare of Android may be. And here in the States, I doubt if Android marketshare is really over 50%, going by the percentage of Android phones sold for use with the cell networks as a percentage of smartphones sold. So that 29% here, is likely no more that about 15%, which, as I said, is a small percentage.


RE: What screen size?
By Mint on 12/17/2012 2:52:30 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
they are only a small percentage of the market
Small percentage? Nearly one third of android phones had a screen of 4.5"+ in a quarter earlier this year:
http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/03/android-smartphon...
It's only going up. Moreover, the smaller Android phones have very small margins.

Apple doesn't compete in the large screen market. That makes it much easier for HTC to grab a meaningful piece of the pie.


“And I don't know why [Apple is] acting like it’s superior. I don't even get it. What are they trying to say?” -- Bill Gates on the Mac ads











botimage
Copyright 2013 DailyTech LLC. - RSS Feed | Advertise | About Us | Ethics | FAQ | Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information | Kristopher Kubicki