HTC

HTC's Peter Chou says competitors "striking us with nuclear weapons", vows to go cold fusion

posted by Daniel P.

Jan 16, 2012, 4:45 AM

HTC's Peter Chou says competitors "striking us with nuclear weapons", vows to go cold fusion

What's with the atomic bomb phraseology obsession in the mobile industry lately? First it became known that Steve Jobs wanted to unleash a "thermonuclear war" on Android for stealing his ideas, now Peter Chou calls Apple and Samsung's high-end devices "nuclear weapons"?

Speaking at the company's year-end event, HTC's CEO said literally that his company has started reorganizing itself around innovation in the last two quarters, because "competitors are striking us with nuclear weapons". Of course, he might have also meant the Apple lawsuit that is going to take a while to resolve, and is likely to cost HTC in the end.

Here is the full quote from his speech at the gala evening, aimed to rally the troops around the challenges before HTC in 2012:

Competition is good. Competition pushes us, helps us to change better and quicker. And we will be stronger. Our competitors are very strong...

They are striking us with nuclear weapons. But HTC is an excellent team and a strong army. A good soldier will not fear battles... We are not going to compromise our innovation. We are going to make our innovation a big idea, even bigger.

Most of HTC's Android handsets in 2011 seemed like a variation of the Sensation outed many months ago, with the only notable development being the company's investment into the Beats Audio brand, which results in flooding clips like Will.i.am's latest project with Jennifer Lopez and Mick Jagger with HTC and Beats Audio products positioning.

Peter Chou seems perfectly aware that the company needs to do more, so we'll keep our eyes peeled. One of the world's largest smartphone makers did come up with the HTC Titan II at CES last week, which is the first smartphone with a 16MP camera, so the company definitely has the technological prowess to keep things interesting. Now if only Peter Chou can go all Cold Fusion on the competition, thing will be well for HTC.

source: FocusTaiwan via TNW

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21 Comments

21. GeekMovement unregistered

i haven't been excited with any HTC's releases since HTC EVO 4G and a little bit with the HTC EVO 3D, but other than that it's been the same. Hope they turn that around, I used to love them a lot. Now I'm more of a Samsung (no they do not suck because they use plastic), Nokia, Sony, and Blackberry person IF they can come back successfully.

posted on Jan 17, 2012, 1:49 AM 0

20. ngo2dd

Posts: 896; Member since: Jul 08, 2011

The biggest reason Samsung is doing so well is being samsung make all kind of phone not just smart phones. And remixfa no one care about about your missed information about the snapdragon. Yes the exynos is better, so what you are the same one that keep saying the powerVR is better then the anderno 220 and that is just flat out wrong. You need data to back what you say guy.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 8:44 PM 1

19. BattleBrat

Posts: 1476; Member since: Oct 26, 2011

I liked the HTC Titan, I planned on buying one, but I've started buying a tonearm for my turntable, so I probably won't buy it :-(

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 6:58 PM 0

17. joeyrushlow

Posts: 8; Member since: Jan 05, 2012

As far as everyone's opinions on the snapdragon, I've enjoyed/am enjoying my s3, sure it doesn't compare to an exynos but I have no serious resentments whatsoever about the chip. IMO the reason that Samsung is held so high and bought so frequently is because the average consumer, who doesn't know tech, loves the lightweight feel and the Super AMOLED. While it's a great technology, I can't help but feel that it's way over saturated... Anywho, I'm rambling. HTC is good for people who like solid feeling phones (even though there's usually quite a weight differential), are happy w/ SLCD and enjoy sense. I happen to be one of those people and quite proud of it, I'm waiting for an S4 HTC for my next phone, not a tegra 3.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 1:17 PM 0

16. android1234

Posts: 203; Member since: Feb 09, 2010

The rezound has good specs in a not so desirable form factor. They dropped the price to 199.99 with a 2 year agreement. What HTC needs is better cloud storage integrations, more wireless connection options to home computer, or any other computer etc., and finally, a fresh new design that will wow the customers. No more same thick looking typical HTC look.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 11:45 AM 0

15. taz89

Posts: 2014; Member since: May 03, 2011

its simple,they need to stop rehashing the same phone over and over again with minute differences and stop using the snapdragon processors which is known to be weaker compared to the rest and finally create a brand that will be recognised on all carriers.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 10:55 AM 0

11. DROIDX0430

Posts: 469; Member since: Nov 24, 2010

All i can say is that i no longer have my Thunderbolt...and want buy Htc with any of my money...until they produce a phone and put a decent battery in it...every phone maker loves the ride when they are on top because of no competition...but nomore....the nukes are flyin...

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 8:48 AM 0

10. bigdawg23

Posts: 467; Member since: May 25, 2011

I really liked the HTC Vivid. However, the locked boot loader resulted in me returning it for the SGS2 Skyrocket on AT&T. The HTC phones are a lot a like. They need to change somethings to get back in the "Nuclear" race.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 8:38 AM 0

9. arcq12

Posts: 733; Member since: Oct 13, 2011

I'm looking to get the Sony Xperia S next, but if HTC comes up something that has similar specs with ICS out of the box, then I'm in..

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 6:06 AM 0

5. manuell3g

Posts: 66; Member since: Aug 12, 2011

Htc is good no doubt. I used the desire hd n galaxy s frm samsung. N de htc was smoother ba camera was not all dat impressive. The smoothest android device av played with will be de sgs2 frm samsung. It was smoother than my almighty iphone4.till den i never knew android could be that smooth.samsung proved me wrong. All de same, am looking forward to trying other htc models.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 5:50 AM 0

3. thelegend6657 unregistered

Not a big fan of android . Just don't like it . But if you ask me the best android phones are from HTC . Check out the rezound

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 5:14 AM 1

8. XiphiasGladius

Posts: 813; Member since: Aug 21, 2011

I doubt your claim that the rezound is the best android right now. If an assessment is done on all parameters possible I firmly believe it ain't the best hands down. . .

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 6:03 AM 2

14. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

Anything with a crapdragon is automatically out of the running. You cant be the best if you have the crappiest dual core in you. Period. You may think the look of sense or HTC's design elements are the nicest, but when it comes to hardware, HTC has been sucking for a while.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 10:00 AM 4

2. ardent1

Posts: 2000; Member since: Apr 16, 2011

HTC made a commitment to chase after the high end of the market -- the saying goes, if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. That strategy will work during a high growth phase like when the growth of smart phones is in the high double digits, but as the market growth slows, that strategy will backfire as has been the case with HTC's sales and earnings of late. HTC's products were novel and different that helped gain share, however, the android market is even more crowded as the second tier OEMs start to flex their muscle on one end and Apple continues it unrelentless paces of winning new customers on the other end. It's a case of too little, too late. Samsung has already stolen key markets from HTC plus the incremental improvements in hardware specs won't be as impressive as in the pass, respectively. If HTC tries to go down market, it will discover, that pricing is very competitive and there's not a lot of profits to go around.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 5:13 AM 4

7. XiphiasGladius

Posts: 813; Member since: Aug 21, 2011

Yeah, In my country HTC's phones are prices way higher than phones made by Samsung, LG and SonyEricsson. And if you base it on performance and technology I believe all three companies I mentioned are already better than HTC at the moment. . .

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 6:01 AM 0

12. DROIDX0430

Posts: 469; Member since: Nov 24, 2010

I doubt if Samsung has stolen anything...to me and my experience Samsung hasnt produced anything of significant nuke power...for instance...omnia 1 and 2...glyde...rogue...fascinate...charge...nexus.......name any of thise ohones that produced...i had them all except the nexus which i why i made this comment to you....samsung builds a phone with a beautiful display...and thats it.....

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 8:58 AM 1

13. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

you are so negative.. all the time. good lord. its tech, there is no such thing as too little too late since the market is constantly in flux. Its just a case of reorganize, redesign, double down. The android market is extremely competitive between OEMs. A company like Apple would never survive android style competition within an OS because it doesnt change fast enough or bring enough new things to the table. While everyone else was pushing the envelope with tech and redesigning their sets, HTC was pulling an apple-like "we dont need to change" mentality and it cost them dearly. Their sets havent changed for over a year with just very minor improvements or feature changes.. yet they released what seems like a new set every 2 weeks or so. They devalued themselves. They've seen that and will hopefully fix it. And honestly, in major markets like america and europe, no one gives a darn about the cheap chinese android phones that you keep saying are going to take over the market.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 9:58 AM 6

18. ardent1

Posts: 2000; Member since: Apr 16, 2011

Clearly, remix never read and understood HTC's financial reports. It's amazing how remix pulls answers out of thin air when the rest of us just read what HTC has publicly stated.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 6:56 PM 1

1. XiphiasGladius

Posts: 813; Member since: Aug 21, 2011

If HTC's is goin all Cold Fusion, then this means competitions is heatin' up upto the nuclear level (kinda like that), this could also signal other company's to strive to outdo each other in both sofware and hardware department, thus consumers will undoubtedly benefit from this one. . .

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 5:12 AM 4

4. ardent1

Posts: 2000; Member since: Apr 16, 2011

The problem is all android OEMs are using the android OS. The real battle amongst android OEMs is based on spec's, prices, etc, --- all the stuff they teach in ECON 101.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 5:16 AM 2

6. XiphiasGladius

Posts: 813; Member since: Aug 21, 2011

I totally agree with you on this, brand loyalty will even be tested in this area, I also believe the little add on's such as exclusive softwares and gadget pairings to the device's brand will help differentiate each of them from the competition.

posted on Jan 16, 2012, 5:58 AM 1

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