Will HTC be around to support the DNA

apcman

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HTC is getting hammered financially. I just wondered if HTC will be actually be around to support the phone. Samsung can't count the money fast enough and Moto has them a sugar daddy that can always write a check if they get into trouble, but poor HTC is by themselves competing against, LG, Samsung, and Moto with out help. Would it be better to wait for a samsung or even Moto phone with specs that are like the DNA or just risk HTC not updating the phone because they don't have the resources. I just wondered what everyone thought about this.
 

Habiib

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How long on average does a device continue to get support sans Nexus?

My real concern with the DNA is that it's a carrier exclusive. That leaves HTC with another device on it's support list from its recent offerings. In the USA they have the One V,S,X,X+,EVO4GLTE,along with whatever else they've released stateside this year. Even if they stick around, you still have the carrier who can delay the timeframe for device updates.

My personal opinion though is that with the specs the DNA has, it would be the last smartphone purchase I'd make for the next 5 years. Likewise if I'd bought a Note 2, I would not be worried about it losing its appeal. Again that is just me.

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osubeavs728

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I feel the same as Habiib, this phone is shaping up to be a monster. I personally can't wait to buy this bad boy and shove it in everyone's faces like a political opinion. HTC's marketing and distribution strategy is what's taking them for the ride, because they make great phones.

On a side note, Google probably won't be writing too many bail out checks to motorola very often. Motorola turned out to be a stinkbug business and has actually been costing googs money. In response google has already started major downsizing. Motorola will be reduced to a small subsidiary before Google starts writing big bail out checks. That's all my speculation and opinion of course.
 

Schwermzilla

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On a side note, Google probably won't be writing too many bail out checks to motorola very often. Motorola turned out to be a stinkbug business and has actually been costing googs money. In response google has already started major downsizing. Motorola will be reduced to a small subsidiary before Google starts writing big bail out checks. That's all my speculation and opinion of course.

I agree but Motorola wasn't purchased because of how much money they make it was purchased because the price seemed right for all of those delicious patents. And as much as Motorola is still bleeding away some money. Its devices that are shipping were developed when Motorola was all on its lonesome 2013 should be when we start to see some googlerola designed devices. And the RAZR M and RAZR I are both pretty badass as far as midrange devices go.

As for HTC they are a small company (compared to Sony, Samsung, Apple, and lg) their initial momentum has slowed and they have made some poor business decisions but they are still a ways a way from tapping out. I hope they start gaining some ground again I have always been a fan of their devices. Assuming that they continue to slide for the next couple years someone will purchase them for their patent library. Probably someone other than Google though

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anon(469638)

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They'll be around to support it. HTC has to keep cutting costs, and that starts with less money trying to 'improve' Android with Sense. I understand the need for skins and I'm mostly fine with it. But if your spending precious R&D money to do so, its time to call it quits with your skin.
 

Haso17

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Having my upgrade date literally coming available in the next few days is making me even more frantic about my newest device. When the Thunderbolt was announced, it was lthe biggest thing that happened since sliced bread. Even if HTC does have a big bounce back I'd still feel uneasy, because if any of you know the TBolt has yet to receive ICS (even though it was finished up in Aug supposedly) and this leads me to believe if I invest in a DNA i'm going to be sitting like this in another year in a half with a carrier exclusive phone that has become a forgotten memory. I'm not huge on phablets to begin with, but Big Red's other offerings don't really wow me either. Tough to say, if this was a major release phone like the GNote or the S3 I'd say it would be a no brainer, but Verizon always knows how to spoil a good thing.
 

Ry

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Last I checked, HTC was still making money. They're not losing money. They're just not making as much profit as they used to.
 

JobiWan144

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...Moto has them a sugar daddy that can always write a check if they get into trouble...Would it be better to wait for a samsung or even Moto phone with specs that are like the DNA or just risk HTC not updating the phone because they don't have the resources.

1) What I think he was trying to say is that Motorola isn't going anywhere because rich Google owns them. Downsizing may happen, but that's irrelevant when we're talking about supporting their products.
2) Assuming HTC supports the Droid DNA with their bootloader unlocking service, support will come from XDA, even if it doesn't come from Taiwan. Also, I highly doubt HTC will go that far under in two years.

In the USA they have the One V,S,X,X+,EVO4GLTE,along with whatever else they've released stateside this year.

The keyboard on your phone has a spacebar, you know. I know because I have the same one.

HTC has to keep cutting costs, and that starts with less money trying to 'improve' Android with Sense. I understand the need for skins and I'm mostly fine with it. But if your spending precious R&D money to do so, its time to call it quits with your skin.

1) I actually like HTC Sense 4. It adds useful functionality (lockscreen and core apps are the most important for me) to AOSP Android. 4.0 and 4.1 have performance issues, but Alex Dobie has said that those are gone in Sense 4+ (Wifi problems notwithstanding).
2) I have no idea how much it costs to develop HTC Sense, but I highly doubt that it's a large portion of their total costs.

Having my upgrade date literally coming available in the next few days is making me even more frantic about my newest device. When the Thunderbolt was announced, it was lthe biggest thing that happened since sliced bread. Even if HTC does have a big bounce back I'd still feel uneasy, because if any of you know the TBolt has yet to receive ICS (even though it was finished up in Aug supposedly) and this leads me to believe if I invest in a DNA i'm going to be sitting like this in another year in a half with a carrier exclusive phone that has become a forgotten memory. I'm not huge on phablets to begin with, but Big Red's other offerings don't really wow me either. Tough to say, if this was a major release phone like the GNote or the S3 I'd say it would be a no brainer, but Verizon always knows how to spoil a good thing.

1) The HTC Thunderbolt does not count, period. It was Verizon's and (to my knowledge) HTC's first LTE device, and it was more than rough around the edges. I'm glad to hear that you're so close to upgrading to a better device.
2) See what I said earlier about support from XDA.
3) "I'm not huge on phablets..." Haha :D
4) If you're not satisfied with the devices on Verizon (or how Verizon can make a phone worse), maybe you should think about switching to a different carrier.
 

Habiib

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The keyboard on your phone has a spacebar, you know. I know because I have the same one.

Would it make you feel better to come and chop my hands off, blow my brains out, or set me on fire? That is a sure way to prevent me from creating such poor sentence structure and it will put you at ease.
 

BroRob

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Having my upgrade date literally coming available in the next few days is making me even more frantic about my newest device. When the Thunderbolt was announced, it was lthe biggest thing that happened since sliced bread. Even if HTC does have a big bounce back I'd still feel uneasy, because if any of you know the TBolt has yet to receive ICS (even though it was finished up in Aug supposedly) and this leads me to believe if I invest in a DNA i'm going to be sitting like this in another year in a half with a carrier exclusive phone that has become a forgotten memory. I'm not huge on phablets to begin with, but Big Red's other offerings don't really wow me either. Tough to say, if this was a major release phone like the GNote or the S3 I'd say it would be a no brainer, but Verizon always knows how to spoil a good thing.

I am in the EXACT same boat. TBolt was supposed to be a flagship device and was a failure at every turn! It only took a few months before I Rooted, ROM'd and upgraded the battery that the Bolt truly started to live up to it's specs. The lack of support from HTC makes me want to pass on the DNA, but the specs are just sooooo tempting! GS3 or DNA? Note2 is out for me because it's a little too big for my preference.
 

Roffles

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It's unfortunate, but you're really at the mercy of Verizon as far as support goes because it's a Verizon branded phone. I've vowed to never own another "Droid" phone after my terrible experience with the Bionic. Just know, whatever your decision, you're rolling the dice.
 

canesfan44

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It's unfortunate, but you're really at the mercy of Verizon as far as support goes because it's a Verizon branded phone. I've vowed to never own another "Droid" phone after my terrible experience with the Bionic. Just know, whatever your decision, you're rolling the dice.

Gotta agree with Roffles on this one. Verizon is just as much to blame for the problems with the Thunderbolt as HTC, maybe even more so. Granted, the Thunderbolt isn't quite as amazing as I'd hoped and been led to believe, but coming from a BB Storm before the Thunderbolt, I feel like the Thunderbolt has been an amazing phone aside from the battery problems. And, the battery usage is significantly better than when they first came out. So, we may not have got ICS, but it could have been a lot worse. If you don't believe me, talk to anyone that owned a BB Storm, because a storm was exactly what that POS was.
 

anon(883913)

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I think the DNA will be a turning point for HTC. Both their flagship devices in the past years have always been overpowered by some type of Droid branded device (Droid Charge overtook the Thunderbolt , Droid Razr overtook the Rezound) but this time around HTC made their device the Droid branded super phone.

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osubeavs728

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Gotta agree with Roffles on this one. Verizon is just as much to blame for the problems with the Thunderbolt as HTC, maybe even more so. Granted, the Thunderbolt isn't quite as amazing as I'd hoped and been led to believe, but coming from a BB Storm before the Thunderbolt, I feel like the Thunderbolt has been an amazing phone aside from the battery problems. And, the battery usage is significantly better than when they first came out. So, we may not have got ICS, but it could have been a lot worse. If you don't believe me, talk to anyone that owned a BB Storm, because a storm was exactly what that POS was.

Haha I know exactly what you're talking about. I bought the storm on launch day and was the phone I before I switched to Android (OG Droid). I can never complain about any phones being put out today because I had to live with a Storm for a year. I know what a POS phone is and what it means to have things compromised haha
 

hodan

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HTC should drop their battery hogging Sense, and offer all their phones with vanilla android. Make em carrier specific but also offer an unlocked one. These phone companies seem to just do whatever the carriers tell them to. And it hurts their brand because they can't get updates to their phones. There is no excuse, IMO, for every android phone built in the last year to Not have JB. Other than carrier nonsense.
 

undertothenight

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I honestly think if HTC kept the amazing build quality and went totally stock Android they would make huge sales.

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