3XL leaks genuine

[mustang7757]

Honestly I'm not sure it matters what the HTC team is working on, I mean HTC isn't exactly doing anything well these days.

They messed up after the M8

 

[Law2138]

So what if that HTC team is working on a mid-range Google device that was rumored earlier this year? It seems to have been forgotten, but it would be totally nice to see a mid range come out and be available on carriers.

Next week will be all about the 3 and 3 XL. No mention of a mid-range device. However, it would be a nice surprise to see something come out around Google I/O 2019.

 

[Mike Dee]

First, I never thought the HTC team was going to be involved with the 3/3XL anymore than they were with the previous Pixel phones. I said earlier in a different thread that when Google took over Motorola, everyone praised the Moto X because of Google's influence, but it wasn't until around the Moto X Style that Google had any actual influence.

Second, I do believe there is a third Pixel, but not what most people have been talking about. There were reports from early last summer that Google was working on a third, more mid-range device to be released early next year, with like a SD6xx chip and other cost saving hardware to give people an affordable Pixel device.

I'm not sure that HTC's design team is going to design anything ground breaking. It's not like HTC had a lot going for it before they gave away their people. It is liable to be better than what Google has now.

 

[anon(10092459)]

So what if that HTC team is working on a mid-range Google device that was rumored earlier this year? It seems to have been forgotten, but it would be totally nice to see a mid range come out and be available on carriers.

Next week will be all about the 3 and 3 XL. No mention of a mid-range device. However, it would be a nice surprise to see something come out around Google I/O 2019.

This would be a real nice surprise... Maybe something in the sub $600 range

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Honestly I'm not sure it matters what the HTC team is working on, I mean HTC isn't exactly doing anything well these days.

They suck on their own device appeal, partially because HTC sucks as a company now. That said, their engineering and design teams have 10 years of experience and supply chain connections, cross licensing agreements, etc. Google has 3 years of experience and has outsourced the production of every other device, to my knowledge, that they've created. For the Nexus program they always had a hardware OEM partner. For the Pixel C, Pixelbook, Chromebook Pixel (1 and 2) and the upcoming Pixelbooks are white label products from Quanta in partnership with Foxconn. The original Chromecast was made by Motorola in Flextronic factories, I'm not actually clear who has the lead on the 2nd and 3rd generations, but the FCC filings would probably communicate that. Point is, Google doesn't know how to make things anywhere near as well as companies that actually make things as their primary focus.

 

[cardboard60]

This is where I was saying I thought Google had Foxconn in Tiawan was building the new Pixel phones so Google could have more control over how the Pixel was built.

 

[Kalvin Kerns]

They suck on their own device appeal, partially because HTC sucks as a company now. That said, their engineering and design teams have 10 years of experience and supply chain connections, cross licensing agreements, etc. Google has 3 years of experience and has outsourced the production of every other device, to my knowledge, that they've created. For the Nexus program they always had a hardware OEM partner. For the Pixel C, Pixelbook, Chromebook Pixel (1 and 2) and the upcoming Pixelbooks are white label products from Quanta in partnership with Foxconn. The original Chromecast was made by Motorola in Flextronic factories, I'm not actually clear who has the lead on the 2nd and 3rd generations, but the FCC filings would probably communicate that. Point is, Google doesn't know how to make things anywhere near as well as companies that actually make things as their primary focus.

That may be theoretically true, however with HTCs track record...

And the Moto merger didn't exactly crack them any winners either

 

[mustang7757]

They suck on their own device appeal, partially because HTC sucks as a company now. That said, their engineering and design teams have 10 years of experience and supply chain connections, cross licensing agreements, etc. Google has 3 years of experience and has outsourced the production of every other device, to my knowledge, that they've created. For the Nexus program they always had a hardware OEM partner. For the Pixel C, Pixelbook, Chromebook Pixel (1 and 2) and the upcoming Pixelbooks are white label products from Quanta in partnership with Foxconn. The original Chromecast was made by Motorola in Flextronic factories, I'm not actually clear who has the lead on the 2nd and 3rd generations, but the FCC filings would probably communicate that. Point is, Google doesn't know how to make things anywhere near as well as companies that actually make things as their primary focus.

Htc never sucked as a design team , just didn't do good with the spec sheets against rivals.. they had some of the most beautiful design phones at that time

 

[vzwuser76]

So what if that HTC team is working on a mid-range Google device that was rumored earlier this year? It seems to have been forgotten, but it would be totally nice to see a mid range come out and be available on carriers.

Next week will be all about the 3 and 3 XL. No mention of a mid-range device. However, it would be a nice surprise to see something come out around Google I/O 2019.

I have no doubt that next week will be all about the Pixel 3, but I wouldn't rule out them teasing a third phone especially if it's not coming out until late spring/early summer as has been rumored.

And as far as not hearing anything about the third device, it's quite possible that with all the leaks about the 2 Pixel 3 models, that everyone is focused on them. If they are going to be released late Q1 2019, that'd be like where we were with P3 leaks from 6 months ago.

 

[vzwuser76]

I'm not sure that HTC's design team is going to design anything ground breaking. It's not like HTC had a lot going for it before they gave away their people. It is liable to be better than what Google has now.

I wouldn't say that. The liquid metal look from the U series could be a possibility assuming HTC doesn't have that locked up for themselves. It could also be that the higher ups at HTC have limited their design team in what they're allowed to go with, whereas Google might let them run with their ideas.

 

[vzwuser76]

This is where I was saying I thought Google had Foxconn in Tiawan was building the new Pixel phones so Google could have more control over how the Pixel was built.

Foxconn handles most of the industry's manufacturing already. Even if Google has contracted HTC and LG to build their devices in the past, the manufacturing was most likely handled by Foxconn. So that wouldn't be any different now.

 

[Mike Dee]

I wouldn't say that. The liquid metal look from the U series could be a possibility assuming HTC doesn't have that locked up for themselves. It could also be that the higher ups at HTC have limited their design team in what they're allowed to go with, whereas Google might let them run with their ideas.

I meant in terms of the numbers sold

 

[vzwuser76]

That may be theoretically true, however with HTCs track record...

And the Moto merger didn't exactly crack them any winners either

True, but that may have had more to do with availability than with demand. I remember people complaining about the long wait to get a customized device, with some either opting for the standard black or white models, to some cancelling their orders altogether and going elsewhere, seeing the situation as a reflection of how they were as a company. The thing to remember is, you can't just take off and be a top notch OEM overnight. OnePlus is a prime example. They had a lot of teething problems the first couple years in terms of supply and support. Even Apple wasn't immune, they had lots of issues their first few years. So I wouldn't say it was a bust, but that consumers have gotten a sense of instant gratification, especially since most weren't around in the early days of the smartphone, when supply of both devices and repair parts were intermittent.

 

[vzwuser76]

I meant in terms of the numbers sold

That's been the case for the last few years. But if you recall, early on they were the king of the hill in terms of Android OEMs. It wasn't until around the Galaxy S3 that they took the top spot from HTC, who'd let their design team grow stagnant and their Sense skin become so bloated that it impaired the performance of their devices and slow down their update schedule. It also didn't help that HTC had no issue with making one off devices for each carrier. Once they started to try and follow Samsung's lead in terms of having devices that were the same or similar across carrier that they found some respite. The problem was that most consumers had moved on to other OEMs by then, and they've been fighting to get them back ever since. Companies like HTC and BlackBerry should be cautionary tales in the mobile industry of the dangers of complacency.