Re: HTC is d00med!

[Love Divine]

Re: HTC is d00med!

Repeat after me: It's all in the marketing. It's all in the marketing. (It's all in the hips... It's all in the hips...)

Nearly every article about the HTC One starts with the same thing - HTC is trying to recover from a lackluster 2012. Meanwhile, Samsung records record profits, and the S III is still selling gangbusters. What happened?

Samsung succeeded last year not because the SIII was widely superior. It succeeded due to marketing. With one phone to put their energy behind, they were able to create a huge hype machine, backed by an impressive device (not more so than the One X) and a fantastic marketing campaign. That conglomeration allowed them to take a huge chunk of mindshare. Talk to anybody on the street, particularly new smartphone buyers. "Hmm, iPhone 5 or SIII? Which one?" Samsung has established itself as THE defacto Android alternative. The HTC One X is hardly mentioned in the average consumers' minds, despite being Engadget's "favorite handset of 2012" and highly praised by nearly all reviewers. To further drive this home, let's compare HTC and Samsung's 2012 offerings. I'm using the EVO LTE (my current handset) and the S III, both of which I have used extensively.

EVO:

• Noticably better screen
• Better build quality
• Kickstand
• Physical camera button

GSIII

• 2GB Ram
• Removable battery

Camera performance, internals and battery life are identical! The EVO was out much earlier as well. While the One X lacked the SD Card and 2GB of RAM, you're kidding yourself if you believe that alone is why Samsung succeeded. Sense and Touchwiz both have their advantages and disadvantages. Touchwiz featured a chaotic, cluttered, incosistent design language, packed to the brim with gimmicky "features". Through superior marketing and monstrous hype, Samsung touted these as simply more boxes ticked in its favor against the iPhone. The result was them being wildly successful, despite the features not always being useful. (S-Voice anyone?) They completely looked past the One X as a competitor.

It's all in the marketing. While the SII was heads and shoulders above its competition, the SIII was definitely not. The One, just like the One X, looks to be mighty impressive. It's doubtful that Samsung will be able to match its SLCD3, build quality, sound and perhaps camera. But my money's on them for succeeding. Unlike HTC who dropped like a rock after being on top with the OG EVO, they know how to capitalize. The SIV will once again be more or less equivalent to HTC's offering, and once again be touted to tick boxes. That's just what's reported in the latest batch of rumors. "NEW Samsung smart dial pro! Hold your phone at arms length and blink your right eye to bring up your contacts list. With a simple nostril flare, it will pull up their new SAMSUNG FRIEND HUB PREMIUM profile. Blink your eyes twice to call!"

Can HTC get behind its device fiercely enough to secure some of its lost mindshare? It definitely has the right product. It's all in the hips...

 

[Ry]

Re: HTC is d00med!

Wait. HTC is doomed because the HTC One doesn't have expandable memory.

Or no. wait. HTC is doomed because you can't remove the battery on the HTC One.

Or maybe... HTC is doomed because the HTC One ships with Jelly Bean 4.1.2 as the base, instead of 4.2.2.

 

[luke31]

Finally... The first thread that gives VALID reasons as to why HTC might fail. All of this "but battery and sd card" is getting so tiring. Read: no phone has ever been successful or has bombed because of MaH or the presence (or lack thereof) of an sd card slot. It's. All. In. The. Marketing.

But alas, that small cluster of people that think they're representative of the entire phone buying population will keep projecting their ubiquitous and overused excuses and reasons for why this phone is bound to fail.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Android Central Forums

 

[Habiib]

Re: HTC is d00med!

Ry, I see you have had generous portions of hypocrisy courtesy of a small but vocal group of fanatics. Allow me to add to the list:

HTC is going to fail, because:

They have exclusive carrier agreements.
They are going to have multiple variants of the One (under different names).
They are going to release another version 3 months after initial release.
They don't have enough money to by favorable reviews to win comparison test.
They don't have enough marketing money to purchase prime kiosk locations at Best Buy (like Samsung does).
They are going to stop updating this device after a year.
They are in the red.


Yes, most the above is all false, but the zombies think otherwise. I'm loving the HTC hate parade. Out of all the things announced today, the only ammo people have is the BatteryCard fail song.

 

[maryjane2300]

This whole crock that HTC is gonna fail because they don't have a SD card slot or removable battery is a joke. Like others have stated, HTC will fail (very soon) if they do not market and market a lot. Simple as that.

Sent from my Sammy S3

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

Re: HTC is d00med!

This whole crock that HTC is gonna fail because they don't have a SD card slot or removable battery is a joke.

Sent from my Sammy S3

If that was true then the Nexus line would have died before the Nexus 4 came out. lol

 

[phimass]

Re: HTC is d00med!

I think unless you root, that stupid windows knock off software is crippling. All that live homescreen and stupid artsy gallery garbage eats ram and battery. It's marketing for people who are going to root or will buy it because its "so artsy" I am bitterly disappointed in the waste of excellent hardware on that horrible os.

 

[droidmyme]

OP: I'm kind of curious to see how HTC will proceed going forward, myself. I certainly would like them to succeed, but what I want won't matter one bit.

Luckily, it seems like the views you espoused are getting more exposure. See this article: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57570141-94/htc-one-looks-great-but-will-anyone-care/

The lack of expandable memory and removable battery may cause lots of whining on forums, but most people who are really informed about the industry repeat the same few points:

1. HTC NEEDS a much better, broader marketing campaign than anything in the past for this to be successful.

2. HTC needs to be more demanding with the major carriers about it's flagship phones - just like Samsung and Apple.

Did I miss anything?

Sent from my LS670 using Android Central Forums

 

[NoYankees44]

Re: HTC is d00med!

I think unless you root, that stupid windows knock off software is crippling. All that live homescreen and stupid artsy gallery garbage eats ram and battery. It's marketing for people who are going to root or will buy it because its "so artsy" I am bitterly disappointed in the waste of excellent hardware on that horrible os.

Gallery might be troublesome, but i am sure the live tiles looking thing can be turned off. Plus i like the idea of having more information faster. It is the point of smartphones after all...

 

[aviatordoc]

Re: HTC is d00med!

Repeat after me: It's all in the marketing. It's all in the marketing. (It's all in the hips... It's all in the hips...)

Nearly every article about the HTC One starts with the same thing - HTC is trying to recover from a lackluster 2012. Meanwhile, Samsung records record profits, and the S III is still selling gangbusters. What happened?

Samsung succeeded last year not because the SIII was widely superior. It succeeded due to marketing. With one phone to put their energy behind, they were able to create a huge hype machine, backed by an impressive device (not more so than the One X) and a fantastic marketing campaign. That conglomeration allowed them to take a huge chunk of mindshare. Talk to anybody on the street, particularly new smartphone buyers. "Hmm, iPhone 5 or SIII? Which one?" Samsung has established itself as THE defacto Android alternative. The HTC One X is hardly mentioned in the average consumers' minds, despite being Engadget's "favorite handset of 2012" and highly praised by nearly all reviewers. To further drive this home, let's compare HTC and Samsung's 2012 offerings. I'm using the EVO LTE (my current handset) and the S III, both of which I have used extensively.

EVO:

• Noticably better screen
• Better build quality
• Kickstand
• Physical camera button

GSIII

• 2GB Ram
• Removable battery

Camera performance, internals and battery life are identical! The EVO was out much earlier as well. While the One X lacked the SD Card and 2GB of RAM, you're kidding yourself if you believe that alone is why Samsung succeeded. Sense and Touchwiz both have their advantages and disadvantages. Touchwiz featured a chaotic, cluttered, incosistent design language, packed to the brim with gimmicky "features". Through superior marketing and monstrous hype, Samsung touted these as simply more boxes ticked in its favor against the iPhone. The result was them being wildly successful, despite the features not always being useful. (S-Voice anyone?) They completely looked past the One X as a competitor.

It's all in the marketing. While the SII was heads and shoulders above its competition, the SIII was definitely not. The One, just like the One X, looks to be mighty impressive. It's doubtful that Samsung will be able to match its SLCD3, build quality, sound and perhaps camera. But my money's on them for succeeding. Unlike HTC who dropped like a rock after being on top with the OG EVO, they know how to capitalize. The SIV will once again be more or less equivalent to HTC's offering, and once again be touted to tick boxes. That's just what's reported in the latest batch of rumors. "NEW Samsung smart dial pro! Hold your phone at arms length and blink your right eye to bring up your contacts list. With a simple nostril flare, it will pull up their new SAMSUNG FRIEND HUB PREMIUM profile. Blink your eyes twice to call!"

Can HTC get behind its device fiercely enough to secure some of its lost mindshare? It definitely has the right product. It's all in the hips...

Hope you are enjoying your smoke.

 

[Prinny Mask]

Re: HTC is d00med!

Read: no phone has ever been successful or has bombed because of MaH or the presence (or lack thereof) of an sd card slot. It's. All. In. The. Marketing.

Eh, the Razr Maxxs could be an exception to an extent. Granted, they're marketed as having "all day battery life," but I believe it is pretty clear that a huge number of people bought them just because they had such a huge battery, and that's, in turn, why you have those people now that think every smartphone is a fail if it doesn't have at least 3,000 mAh.

Maybe huge can sound like an overstatement, but, if anything, it is most likely greater than, say, people buying a Nexus just for vanilla Android; a device from HTC, because they hate Touchwiz; or, the S3 over One X for having an extra gig of RAM. It's probably the closest to a direct influence on "success" there is, for specs at least; not getting into the nasty psychological aspects.

 

[BigDinCA]

Re: HTC is d00med!

One of my favorite parts of the forums: someone gets on a roll and drops a really long post on us (I've done it, so I'm not bashing). Then someone else quotes said post, in it's entirety, only to crack wise at the end for one glorious sentence. So we all get to read the same long post twice. Excellent.

 

[Love Divine]

Re: HTC is d00med!

Eh, the Razr Maxxs could be an exception to an extent. Granted, they're marketed as having "all day battery life," but I believe it is pretty clear that a huge number of people bought them just because they had such a huge battery, and that's, in turn, why you have those people now that think every smartphone is a fail if it doesn't have at least 3,000 mAh.

Maybe huge can sound like an overstatement, but, if anything, it is most likely greater than, say, people buying a Nexus just for vanilla Android; a device from HTC, because they hate Touchwiz; or, the S3 over One X for having an extra gig of RAM. It's probably the closest to a direct influence on "success" there is, for specs at least; not getting into the nasty psychological aspects.

Not sure If I agree with the last part. The Razr Maxxx was a great example of effective marketing at work. If it had come out without them telling anybody, it wouldn't have sold like it did. I think mah is just another number to put on the spec sheet. It needs to be taken with a grain of salt; processors and screens sip juice differently. The users' habits make far and away the biggest difference. Still, don't know if mah being higher is any different than a higher clockspeed or mp camera - they'll all sway an uneducated consumer.

Also, where are people getting the idea that HTC needs to "fix" battery life for the One? The EVO LTE, to go back to my above example, gets exactly the same life, if not better, than the GSIII. They're using the same exact chipset lol. I guess you're right... "The GSIII has 100 more mah!!1!"

 

[Ry]

Not sure If I agree with the last part. The Razr Maxxx was a great example of effective marketing at work. If it had come out without them telling anybody, it wouldn't have sold like it did. I think mah is just another number to put on the spec sheet. It needs to be taken with a grain of salt; processors and screens sip juice differently. The users' habits make far and away the biggest difference. Still, don't know if mah being higher is any different than a higher clockspeed or mp camera - they'll all sway an uneducated consumer.

Also, where are people getting the idea that HTC needs to "fix" battery life for the One? The EVO LTE, to go back to my above example, gets exactly the same life, if not better, than the GSIII. They're using the same exact chipset lol. I guess you're right... "The GSIII has 100 more mah!!1!"

I doubt those mainstream users of the RAZR MAXX know the actual mAh. They just know it has "a big ass battery".

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(847090)]

Re: HTC is d00med!

HTC is going nowhere!! this is going to be a comeback for them. although i wish they could have released 4.2 which could have been a huge bonus for them.
there is no other phone with 4.2 except the Nexus

 

[TBolt]

Re: HTC is d00med!

The non-removable battery IS a problem for many mobile professionals who are NOT always near a plug, folks. If you sit next to a plug all day long, or hardly use your phone during business hours, the locked battery is not an issue. However, don't discount the criticism of others who actually DO see a major fault in the design. I wouldn't buy an iPhone either because of the same issue.

And, honestly, it's not hard to include a fricking SD card slot.

HTC is just making phones for kids now-a-days. My Rez is still my last HTC until HTC starts making phones for grown ups again.

 

[Prinny Mask]

Re: HTC is d00med!

Not sure If I agree with the last part. The Razr Maxxx was a great example of effective marketing at work. If it had come out without them telling anybody, it wouldn't have sold like it did. I think mah is just another number to put on the spec sheet. It needs to be taken with a grain of salt; processors and screens sip juice differently. The users' habits make far and away the biggest difference. Still, don't know if mah being higher is any different than a higher clockspeed or mp camera - they'll all sway an uneducated consumer.

Also, where are people getting the idea that HTC needs to "fix" battery life for the One? The EVO LTE, to go back to my above example, gets exactly the same life, if not better, than the GSIII. They're using the same exact chipset lol. I guess you're right... "The GSIII has 100 more mah!!1!"

The last part is a bit of a stretch, since "closest" doesn't really mean much when, to an uneducated consumer, they're pretty much on equal footing, so it's a pretty negligible difference, but I'd say "closest" because I believe, to an uneducated consumer, battery, and camera as an extremely close competitor, resonate slightly better than clock speed or cores. Sort of like telling someone it lasts longer or takes better pictures just sounds more attractive, and more in line with what an average consumer might want, than operating faster and such.

They also forget how the DNA has similar battery life with its screen and 2020 mAh battery, yet the One not only has a smaller screen, but also a more efficient chipset, and larger battery. Technically, phones like the S3 are already outdated, but people talk like having similar battery life to it is horrible now.

 

[Ry]

The non-removable battery IS a problem for many mobile professionals who are NOT always near a plug, folks. If you sit next to a plug all day long, or hardly use your phone during business hours, the locked battery is not an issue. However, don't discount the criticism of others who actually DO see a major fault in the design. I wouldn't buy an iPhone either because of the same issue.

And, honestly, it's not hard to include a fricking SD card slot.

HTC is just making phones for kids now-a-days. My Rez is still my last HTC until HTC starts making phones for grown ups again.

Lots of "mobile professionals" use phones without user replaceable batteries.

Guess those Nexus 4s and iPhone 5s are just for kids too.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[droidmyme]

The non-removable battery IS a problem for many mobile professionals who are NOT always near a plug, folks. If you sit next to a plug all day long, or hardly use your phone during business hours, the locked battery is not an issue. However, don't discount the criticism of others who actually DO see a major fault in the design. I wouldn't buy an iPhone either because of the same issue.

And, honestly, it's not hard to include a fricking SD card slot.

HTC is just making phones for kids now-a-days. My Rez is still my last HTC until HTC starts making phones for grown ups again.

I don't think HTC is targeting the "Mobile professional" market. I'm not even sure what that means.

And the SD card gripe is just old, honestly. 64GB is plenty space for a mobile device. I don't see HTC really needing improvement there honestly.

Sent from my LS670 using Android Central Forums

 

[return_0]

Re: HTC is d00med!

HTC is going nowhere!! this is going to be a comeback for them. although i wish they could have released 4.2 which could have been a huge bonus for them.
there is no other phone with 4.2 except the Nexus

And that random mid-range ZTE phone. Don't forget ZTE. lol