HTC/Sprint Reputation and Sales

[Bamm83]

Will the customs/patent debacle have more of a negative impact for HTC and Sprint then we originally thought, end up being a marketing surprise or will it all be forgotten after the next major Android news?

One thing is for sure, the news of the patent delay from Apple has stirred up the mention of the EVOlte and more people know the phone exists than before.

 

[Xiphias]

The phone isn't even a week late. I doubt most people are even aware of what is going on.

The Asus Transformer Prime was so very late, around christmas, too, and life went on.

Although maybe everyone's traditional memorial day gifts are ruined...

 

[Xiphias]

Also even if the evo is the most popular phone on sprint, it can't be the #1 android phone in the US. sprint isn't that big.

 

[Bamm83]

Also even if the evo is the most popular phone on sprint, it can't be the #1 android phone in the US. sprint isn't that big.

The original EVO was at one time, the biggest selling Android phone (throughout all the carriers)

 

[UNSCleric]

It's not going to be number 1 this time I don't think (they're not hyping it like it should have been) but it also won't be "forgotten" any time soon either.

 

[Glenn]

It all depends on how long the delay becomes.

As long as it sees its release this week, I'm sure it will blow over pretty quickly. How its sales will preform against the SGSIII will likely see very little impact.

The longer the delay is, the more harm it will do to HTC, but probably not affect Sprint as much. Not only will consumers not be able to buy the phones, the carriers will be less inclined to order phones from HTC.

 

[errbin]

The moment I get the EVO LTE I'm going to forget this delay

 

[castingon]

I don't think we've heard the last of patent violations and customs hold ups for any Android device.

The article posted in the shipping thread says HTC is only looking at a 3% drop this quarter. They are getting a lot of free publicity right now, even if it is negative. Lets see what happens during the next one.

Sent from my NookColor using Android Central Forums

 

[BigDinCA]

I would have voted in the poll, but there are only 3 options and the first one doesn't have anything to do with the other two options.

I don't think this ITC debacle hurts Sprint or HTC's reputations at all, regardless of the sales of this phone. I think for people who pay attention to this sort of thing (geeks like us), Apple looks like exactly what they have become: another monster corporation who's goal is to crush everything in it's path through litigation instead of innovation. HTC will be branded as David and Apple is Goliath. Sprint is the poor carrier, struggling to do all of these customer-centric things that got caught up in the mess.

To everyone else in the world: Apple makes the iPhone - cool! HTC made this sweet looking red and black phone with a kickstand - cool!

 

[Paul627g]

I agree with an earlier post. Once its in hands of the consumer this whole customs delay will be soon forgotten about..

 

[learntall]

I think the phone will sell better than expected regardless of this delay, as long as it doesn't take 3 or 4 months. HTC might see less sales than expected but Sprint will meet or exceed their expectations. As far as their reputations, still in tact from my point of view, and then there's Apple. What can be said about Apple, well they could try to stop doing dirty business, this is their version of hitting a guy simply because your bigger and you don't like the way he looks.

These people @ Apple should take a flying leap off a bridge into a pit of barb-wire!

 

[Saneless]

Considering HTC doesn't advertise worth a damn, I bet WAY more people found out about this phone from the headlines than they ever would have through Sprint or especially through HTC.

If people wondered why a phone was so important to get held up, they might learn about what it's trying to be and I think that will help them overall.

 

[Bamm83]

I would have voted in the poll, but there are only 3 options and the first one doesn't have anything to do with the other two options.

I don't think this ITC debacle hurts Sprint or HTC's reputations at all, regardless of the sales of this phone. I think for people who pay attention to this sort of thing (geeks like us), Apple looks like exactly what they have become: another monster corporation who's goal is to crush everything in it's path through litigation instead of innovation. HTC will be branded as David and Apple is Goliath. Sprint is the poor carrier, struggling to do all of these customer-centric things that got caught up in the mess.

To everyone else in the world: Apple makes the iPhone - cool! HTC made this sweet looking red and black phone with a kickstand - cool!

I agree with you that most "geeks" won't blame Spint and HTC, but I also realize that the majority of consumers who purchase phones or even read headlines don't pay attention to the details. All they hear is, "HTC or Sprint..delay phone." So yes, I think in the long run, the ignorant consumer who blames HTC or Sprint can in a small way hurt the reputation with informing other uneducated consumers.

 

[Ry]

I agree with you that most "geeks" won't blame Spint and HTC, but I also realize that the majority of consumers who purchase phones or even read headlines don't pay attention to the details. All they hear is, "HTC or Sprint..delay phone." So yes, I think in the long run, the ignorant consumer who blames HTC or Sprint can in a small way hurt the reputation with informing other uneducated consumers.

And it would also be ignorant to blame Apple.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

 

[BigDinCA]

And it would also be ignorant to blame Apple.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

No it wouldn't. I think it's ignorant not to. Apple is the only company you can blame right now. They started this chain of events a few years ago and have vigorously perpetuated it with this patent-lawsuit-happy-funtime. When they were able to get import bans on Samsung last year in Europe and Australia, it was only a matter of time before there was one here in the States. But this absolutely starts with Apple. We won't know what their percentage of blame should be until we hear the rest of the story though. As in, when were HTC, Sprint and ATT made aware of the ITC hold? I believe they knew well ahead of last week, but how far ahead? I've talked to some ICE inspectors that my wife works with and they told me, speaking in general only, that a 30-day Customs hold is not abnormal at all. Sounds like we're just a day or two past that, so were HTC, Sprint and ATT hoping that it would be a few days quicker and the devices would still be hitting their supply chains in time, meaning there was no need to inform any potential customers? Possibly. If so then a huge part of this blame falls on them. What about the patent system itself, that grants these silly patents and allows for these suits? There's surely blame there. And what about almighty Google? Why not come to the aid of your OEM? Especially HTC, who single-handedly brought Android to us all in the first place?

There is blame to go around for sure, and I think we'll hear more about the ins and outs of this specific situation as time goes by. But absolutely reserve some of that blame for Apple. They get the first piece of it. And I hope they choke on it.

 

[svargas05]

And it would also be ignorant to blame Apple.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

That is invalid, sir.

Apple is the one that pulled the trigger on this. The government is the one that enabled it.

They go hand-in-hand and I feel they are both very responsible for what's going on now, as far as patent disputes, ITC, blah blah blah...

 

[Ry]

No it wouldn't. I think it's ignorant not to. Apple is the only company you can blame right now. They started this chain of events a few years ago and have vigorously perpetuated it with this patent-lawsuit-happy-funtime. When they were able to get import bans on Samsung last year in Europe and Australia, it was only a matter of time before there was one here in the States. But this absolutely starts with Apple. We won't know what their percentage of blame should be until we hear the rest of the story though. As in, when were HTC, Sprint and ATT made aware of the ITC hold? I believe they knew well ahead of last week, but how far ahead? I've talked to some ICE inspectors that my wife works with and they told me, speaking in general only, that a 30-day Customs hold is not abnormal at all. Sounds like we're just a day or two past that, so were HTC, Sprint and ATT hoping that it would be a few days quicker and the devices would still be hitting their supply chains in time, meaning there was no need to inform any potential customers? Possibly. If so then a huge part of this blame falls on them. What about the patent system itself, that grants these silly patents and allows for these suits? There's surely blame there. And what about almighty Google? Why not come to the aid of your OEM? Especially HTC, who single-handedly brought Android to us all in the first place?

There is blame to go around for sure, and I think we'll hear more about the ins and outs of this specific situation as time goes by. But absolutely reserve some of that blame for Apple. They get the first piece of it. And I hope they choke on it.

Again, I blame the broken patent system. If the system wasn't broken, EVO 4G LTEs would be in consumers hands right now.

This "absolutely" starts with a flawed patent system.

I don't blame any of the companies. If the roles were reversed and HTC had a patent that Apple was found to be violating which eventually led to iPhones being stopped by customs because of a USITC ruling, the same people who blame Apple in the One X/EVO 4G LTE delay wouldn't be blaming HTC for an iPhone delay.

What if it was another Android OEM, like Samsung, instead of Apple? Would there be so much fanboyish backlash against Samsung if it won a ruling against HTC that led to this situation?

P.S. I love Android.




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[Vysse]

Again, I blame the broken patent system. If the system wasn't broken, EVO 4G LTEs would be in consumers hands right now.

This "absolutely" starts with a flawed patent system.

I don't blame any of the companies. If the roles were reversed and HTC had a patent that Apple was found to be violating which eventually led to iPhones being stopped by customs because of a USITC ruling, the same people who blame Apple in the One X/EVO 4G LTE delay wouldn't be blaming HTC for an iPhone delay.

What if it was another Android OEM, like Samsung, instead of Apple? Would there be so much fanboyish backlash against Samsung if it won a ruling against HTC that led to this situation?

P.S. I love Android.




Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

Thus why to blame apple.... Samsung wouldn't have done something so petty unless provoked first and neither would HTC...

Sent from an alternate universe where I'm using my new Evo LTE that isn't held in customs.

 

[ImNoPrince]

The bottom line is General Public see Phone in BB adv or Sprint Adv or I think even RS had it in there. They go to get it and I bet your bottom dollar the sales reps will just try to push another phone that they have on them.

So Tarnished maybe not but this will effect point of Sales for sure.

 

[MDteX]

What's the purpose of this poll? The options are ridiculous.