HTC's Biggest Problem?

[RockyMtnRedRaider]

I am searching for people to explain what you think HTC can do to turn things around. I love their products. I owned the OG Evo, the Evo 3d, the E4GLTE, and now (potentially) the HTC One (2014). From going to Best Buy's preview of the Samsung GS5, I am not impressed by the phone itself. However, their marketing and product placement kicks ****. Any ideas?

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[kronosqq]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

I've always been on the "a huge part of the problem is marketing budget compared to Samsung and Apple" side of things.
HTC had just as good a phone as the S4 but not enough ability to make sure everyone knew it.
Before that they had issues with timely updates and general support, but they've corrected that just as well as any other OEM now.
I expect to see much better sales of the M8 than the original one, they've had a TON of free publicity this year from all the leaks. If they can follow it up with as much memorable marketing as they can afford and some more reddit AMA's I think they'll be in good shape to start making much more profit again.

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[kronosqq]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

I definitely don't buy into any of the arguments that it's to do with low MP values, non removable batteries, or lack of SD card slots. The minority of people on forums but the vast majority of consumers don't know/don't care about any of that as long as the phone works and works well.

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[I Can Be Your Hero]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

Apple and Samsung individually spend more money on marketing/advertising than HTC is worth.

Kind of like a David vs Goliath battle (not saying Samsung/Apple are evil, just the underdog vs big player comparison). Don't know what HTC will do to market the phone, but they clearly have the right device, they just need to some how get it in the public's eye.

I think some HTC reps said that the HTC One (M7) was HTC's most successful phone, and that phone alone is the reason why they're still around to make an M8. I really hope that the M8 is even more successful as I'd love to look at an M9 next year.

HTC know marketing is their problem. With a small budget I don't know how they can compete with Apple/Samsung who have billboards and ads and sponsorship pretty much everywhere you look, but that's the challenge for them.

I really don't think the non-removable battery, 4mp camera and all those other trivial arguments will really sway consumers away from the phone. Most people who walk into a phone shop with just see the camera features, probably really like them (like the bokeh effect one) and sees the photos it takes are decent and be willing to pick it up. Question is whether they're going into a phone store and not looking for an Apple/Samsung device, which I believe is unlikely.

As I said, the product isn't the problem, it's getting the message out there.

 

[smooth4lyfe]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

It's not just marketing
The Oppo 7 was not marketed as much yet still has a lot of publicity and the phone is awesome and great specs
I think they should start implementing features in their software that can reach a wide variety of people, even though they may not be useful to everyone
I personally think their software, although fast and organized, is pretty basic compared to other phones. Especially the camera

The HTC M8 did improve a little bit software wise though with Sense 6
Also, the addition of the SD card was a plus, but I hear their software makes it hard to access

 

[LindtChocolate]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

It's not just marketing
The Oppo 7 was not marketed as much yet still has a lot of publicity and the phone is awesome and great specs
I think they should start implementing features in their software that can reach a wide variety of people, even though they may not be useful to everyone
I personally think their software, although fast and organized, is pretty basic compared to other phones. Especially the camera

The HTC M8 did improve a little bit software wise though with Sense 6
Also, the addition of the SD card was a plus, but I hear their software makes it hard to access

None of that matters though. Just look at Apple, they own like 40% of the marketshare on their own and for what? Their name. People will buy any and all phones Apple make.
Oppo is fine, but we are in the small group of people in the western world that know about it (believe it or not).
Samsung has made a name for themselves for being the Apple destroyer with their ads, that's why they went back to their roots of bashing Apple with their ads. Samsung has that anti-cult rep, but in turn has also gained itself a cult of people who would buy any S line phone they made.

What the hell does HTC have? They don't have the name, they don't have the proper ads (even though their ads are actually good, they just don't captivate), they are losing the Asian market to companies like Oppo now. If you think about it, most people just don't care how the software is or sd cards or removable batteries, at least the majority of western consumers.

Sense does almost anything that other competitors phones can do, and it is one of the most beautiful layouts on a phone. Just think about how many awards the HTC One (m7) won, it is a great phone but couldn't keep up! Hell, it was even the best selling phone for HTC and it still couldn't do it.

So what does HTC have to do? Build a reason that people want this phone. Samsung has their ads, Apple their name, and that's pretty much the majority of the market. I guess HTC has realized this and that's why they're testing out these gimmicks like the duo cameras, the ultrapixels (horrible idea to keep the mp so low, no Joe-blow consumer will care about the ultrapixel and will only see the lower MP count), boomsound, etc, to try and be known for something.

Edit: I guess the only good news I heard is that consumer recognition of the One brand is up 20% apparently.

 

[smooth4lyfe]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

If you think about it, most people just don't care how the software is or sd cards or removable batteries, at least the majority of western consumers.

Sense does almost anything that other competitors phones can do, and it is one of the most beautiful layouts on a phone. Just think about how many awards the HTC One (m7) won, it is a great phone but couldn't keep up! Hell, it was even the best selling phone for HTC and it still couldn't do it.

So what does HTC have to do? Build a reason that people want this phone. Samsung has their ads, Apple their name, and that's pretty much the majority of the market. I guess HTC has realized this and that's why they're testing out these gimmicks like the duo cameras, the ultrapixels (horrible idea to keep the mp so low, no Joe-blow consumer will care about the ultrapixel and will only see the lower MP count), boomsound, etc, to try and be known for something.

Edit: I guess the only good news I heard is that consumer recognition of the One brand is up 20% apparently.

Yeah I was also gonna say that HTC needs to get rid of the "UltraPixel" thing
I also believe HTC needs to find something that makes them stand out
Yes they do standout in design, but I still feel like they need to implement features that a wide variety of users would like

What I think HTC should do, which Samsung and Apple does, is create a phone with their own made internals, sort of like they did with their Boomsound when they lost Beats partnership...maybe that could help them save more money for marketing instead of paying other manufacturers to create parts for them

Also, maybe they should expand their market to PCs, Tablets, and other electronics to bring in more revenue...Samsung and Apple have computers, partnerships with other companies...HTC needs to do that as well

 

[Adranalyne]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

Apple and Samsung individually spend more money on marketing/advertising than HTC is worth.

Kind of like a David vs Goliath battle (not saying Samsung/Apple are evil, just the underdog vs big player comparison). Don't know what HTC will do to market the phone, but they clearly have the right device, they just need to some how get it in the public's eye.

I think some HTC reps said that the HTC One (M7) was HTC's most successful phone, and that phone alone is the reason why they're still around to make an M8. I really hope that the M8 is even more successful as I'd love to look at an M9 next year.

HTC know marketing is their problem. With a small budget I don't know how they can compete with Apple/Samsung who have billboards and ads and sponsorship pretty much everywhere you look, but that's the challenge for them.

I really don't think the non-removable battery, 4mp camera and all those other trivial arguments will really sway consumers away from the phone. Most people who walk into a phone shop with just see the camera features, probably really like them (like the bokeh effect one) and sees the photos it takes are decent and be willing to pick it up. Question is whether they're going into a phone store and not looking for an Apple/Samsung device, which I believe is unlikely.

As I said, the product isn't the problem, it's getting the message out there.

Except they clearly don't have the right device. It's not bad by any means, but they didn't do much of anything to bring in new customers. Making it larger and heavier alienates a lot of the iPhone crowd. Skimping on the camera does it absolutely zero favors with any crowd. It's a lot more of the same that didn't work the way they wanted to last year.

With all the negative reviews and press the S4 got last year with the storage, Touchwiz being laggy, and supposedly paying people to give negative reviews on competitors, they had a really good shot at putting a dent in Samsung's market share. This year, the S5 is a much more polished device, albeit still flawed, and they won't have the same opening.

What HTC needed this year was something to separate it from the pack. The design was great last year and having played with the M8 at Verizon the other day, it's good, but I can't see that being even remotely enough to sway the crowds. They'll have to rely on beating the S5 to market and their whole "Ask the Internet" campaign. Ultimately, they'll fall way short and this will continue next year.

This device should ensure, at the very least, that there will be a next year for HTC.

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[LindtChocolate]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

Yeah I was also gonna say that HTC needs to get rid of the "UltraPixel" thing

I don't know about getting rid of the "ultrapixel," all it does is capture more light, but removing OIS and keeping the mp low were bad moves. For example, an 8mp version of the camera would have been fantastic.

Yes they do standout in design

This is probably the only reason the phone is even relevant in the market. I couldn't imagine the disaster it would have been if it were a plastic phone, it would have been ignored over the S4 100%.

Also, maybe they should expand their market to PCs, Tablets, and other electronics to bring in more revenue...Samsung and Apple have computers, partnerships with other companies...HTC needs to do that as well

Probably the best thing for them to be honest. Move on to Tablets, make a proper Note competitor with a "Phablet," definitely enter in the Smartwatch market where their design actually becomes priority.
I mean, we know HTC can make decent stuff, it just isn't hitting the average customer on the head yet.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

Except they clearly don't have the right device.

Based off the reviews, they very clearly have the right device that's worthy of being a big seller.

With all the negative reviews and press the S4 got last year with the storage, Touchwiz being laggy, and supposedly paying people to give negative reviews on competitors, they had a really good shot at putting a dent in Samsung's market share.

Exactly. The general consensus was that the One was the better product than the Galaxy S4 last year, and which sold more? The S4. Not because it was a better product, but because Samsung are able to drop billions and billions of dollars into marketing/advertising that HTC simply cannot.

The device wasn't the problem last year and it's not the problem this year. Thanks for reinforcing my statement.

 

[Adranalyne]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

Based off the reviews, they very clearly have the right device that's worthy of being a big seller.



Exactly. The general consensus was that the One was the better product than the Galaxy S4 last year, and which sold more? The S4. Not because it was a better product, but because Samsung are able to drop billions and billions of dollars into marketing/advertising that HTC simply cannot.

The device wasn't the problem last year and it's not the problem this year. Thanks for reinforcing my statement.

Who said it was better? Tech sites like this one? The opinions of reviewers means jack squat in the overall scheme of things and it shows in the sales numbers. It's not the right device to bring them out of the hole, but it's yet another device that gets reviewers all giddy. Their approach is wrong and they'll see that yet again this year.

It's not even the competition. They just can't get out of their own way.

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[dtblair24]

Re: HTC's Biggest Problem

I do always wonder how you turn around or alter a trend. I never had much experience with marketing or business having always worked with non-profits or government. But it seems so hard. iPhones are a status symbol these days. Now Galaxy devices replaced the "Droids" as Android's ambassador. I either see or hear about iPhones or Samsung devices everywhere I go. Samsung has gone above and beyond with their marketing getting all sorts of cool names to represent them. Is there anything HTC could possibly do in the near future? Because I think it is just one of those things where you have to wait for the empire to screw up enough and fail or for something truly revolutionary to break through.