Why the Late Announcement?

[Met#WP]

What's with HTC announcing this phone so late? Samsung and LG announced quite impressive phones this year, that I honestly don't think HTC will bother topping with the HTC M10. Since the M8, they're on a downward spiral making their phones less impressive than the previous.

So if the phone is going to be to this level, why are they waiting for after people buy Samsung and LG's amazing phones before announcing the HTC M10? Surely 1 way to have won some market share would have been to announce and release before the others so customers buy the HTC M10 before seeing what Samsung and LG have to offer.

I've been a diehard HTC fan since the days of Windows Mobile, but they've been pushing me away these past few years and I may buy my first non-HTC smartphone...

 

[SactoKingsFan]

HTC probably wouldn't gain that much market share even with earlier announcement and release. Samsung and LG are just more relevant smartphone manufacturers and have much bigger marketing budgets. HTC really screwed up with the M9 and although the A9 is a nice phone, it wasn't a difference maker. Maybe making the 2016 Nexus will help HTC make a comeback.

 

[Habiib]

HTC probably wouldn't gain that much market share even with earlier announcement and release. Samsung and LG are just more relevant smartphone manufacturers and have much bigger marketing budgets. HTC really screwed up with the M9 and although the A9 is a nice phone, it wasn't a difference maker. Maybe making the 2016 Nexus will help HTC make a comeback.

Exactly. They could have announced it earlier and delivered a blitzkrieg style marketing campaign, and they still would not accomplish anything significant. Besides I'm sure their devices would be crammed in the back corner of brick and mortar stores while the Samsung and LG devices will be in more prominent locations regardless.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[DaveInFL]

Exactly. They could have announced it earlier and delivered a blitzkrieg style marketing campaign, and they still would not accomplish anything significant. Besides I'm sure their devices would be crammed in the back corner of brick and mortar stores while the Samsung and LG devices will be in more prominent locations regardless.

Posted via the Android Central App

Probably all true, but I really don't see any reason why HTC can release a formal communication with specs and photos now.

 

[anon(5419168)]

If htc has put together a device that is competitive or exceeds the other phones released or releasing this year I would think they would get some solid info out to potential buyers. Since htc is mostly quite, it is putting their phone mostly in the back of my mind and I placing my next phone considerations on other company products.

I'll wait until I can compare a g5 with the s7e in hand and if htc does not have solid info to compare with those two by then I will choose one of those.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

My guess is that if they had announced the HTC 10 during MWC alongside the LG G5 and the Galaxy S7/S7E, it would probably get drowned out in media coverage by the other two phones. Samsung and LG have much, MUCH deeper pockets than HTC do and will advertise the bananas out of their phones - something that HTC simply cannot compete with in their current financial position.

I think it's probably better off for HTC to wait for the media storm to die down from the S7/G5, then try to muster up some noise about their phone.

Could they have 'lost' sales due to people picking up an S7 or G5? Sure. But would they have gained sales directly competing against them in the same timeframe? I guess HTC didn't think so, and are avoiding that situation.

 

[DaveInFL]

My guess is that if they had announced the HTC 10 during MWC alongside the LG G5 and the Galaxy S7/S7E, it would probably get drowned out in media coverage by the other two phones. Samsung and LG have much, MUCH deeper pockets than HTC do and will advertise the bananas out of their phones - something that HTC simply cannot compete with in their current financial position.

I think it's probably better off for HTC to wait for the media storm to die down from the S7/G5, then try to muster up some noise about their phone.

Could they have 'lost' sales due to people picking up an S7 or G5? Sure. But would they have gained sales directly competing against them in the same timeframe? I guess HTC didn't think so, and are avoiding that situation.

If they believe they have a great phone, a competitive phone then there is no reason why they could not release the details at the same time as Sammy and LG. Most people like choices and to evaluate what is coming down the line soon. I already bought the SG7e and I loved my HTC One M8. So, they have potentially lost a customer (only one I know ) and now it will have to be something amazing to tear me away from the SG7e.

So, why did they not release details at the same time? They realise their phone is just not up to snuff compared to the other 2? They just weren't ready or have all the details, which would be hard to believe?

 

[mfreeland]

Maybe they just learned their lesson from releasing the M9 before it was ready..... Remember all the bad reviews, overheating, poor quality pictures? The M9 is a really good phone now, after a year of updates... People complain if they release it early, and if they take their time and hopefully do it right......

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

If they believe they have a great phone, a competitive phone then there is no reason why they could not release the details at the same time as Sammy and LG. Most people like choices and to evaluate what is coming down the line soon. I already bought the SG7e and I loved my HTC One M8. So, they have potentially lost a customer (only one I know ) and now it will have to be something amazing to tear me away from the SG7e.

So, why did they not release details at the same time? They realise their phone is just not up to snuff compared to the other 2? They just weren't ready or have all the details, which would be hard to believe?

I already stated why - the news about their phone would be drowned out with the Galaxy S7 and LG G5. Most consumers don't follow tech shows like Mobile World Congress. The first they'll hear of the new phones would be on TV adverts, billboards, walking into a phone store and seeing signage and displays etc. That's where HTC would get killed by Samsung and LG. They don't have the money to compete head to head against these companies in advertising.

So waiting for the S7 and G5 hype storm to die down then releasing and advertising the HTC 10 later would probably help HTC overall. If they released it at the same time, they would probably go unnoticed.

Samsung and LG will blow billions advertising their phones at release. Much smarter for HTC to wait it out.

It's the same reason why Andriod manufacturers don't release their flagship phones in September against the iPhone. You could use the same argument 'if they believe they have a great product yadda yadda', but simple fact of the matter is that the iPhone hype train would completely decimate S7 and G5 sales if they were released head-to-head against the iPhone.

 

[htc2k]

I haven't bought a new phone since the Evo 4G LTE. I recently ended up with an M7 through warranty when the screen went bad on my Evo. I think the Evo was a better phone than the M7 (the M7 camera is awful, same screen size but larger phone, no SD card or physical camera button). The m7,m8, and m9 were all underwhelming on release and I was happy with my Evo. If the M8/M9 didnt have the gigantic black bar under the screen I would have jumped on them. I've seen all the leaked photos of the M10 but I bought a S7 today, I just got tired of waiting on HTC.

 

[DaveInFL]

I already stated why - the news about their phone would be drowned out with the Galaxy S7 and LG G5. Most consumers don't follow tech shows like Mobile World Congress. The first they'll hear of the new phones would be on TV adverts, billboards, walking into a phone store and seeing signage and displays etc. That's where HTC would get killed by Samsung and LG. They don't have the money to compete head to head against these companies in advertising.

So waiting for the S7 and G5 hype storm to die down then releasing and advertising the HTC 10 later would probably help HTC overall. If they released it at the same time, they would probably go unnoticed.

Samsung and LG will blow billions advertising their phones at release. Much smarter for HTC to wait it out.

It's the same reason why Andriod manufacturers don't release their flagship phones in September against the iPhone. You could use the same argument 'if they believe they have a great product yadda yadda', but simple fact of the matter is that the iPhone hype train would completely decimate S7 and G5 sales if they were released head-to-head against the iPhone.

I wasn't talking about releasing the phone at the same time.. Just the details. Also, don't think it makes much difference to HTC now to be honest. The only people going to even be bothered with the HTC 10 are HTC fan boys. Right now they are losing daily to the SGS7.

 

[DaveInFL]

I haven't bought a new phone since the Evo 4G LTE. I recently ended up with an M7 through warranty when the screen went bad on my Evo. I think the Evo was a better phone than the M7 (the M7 camera is awful, same screen size but larger phone, no SD card or physical camera button). The m7,m8, and m9 were all underwhelming on release and I was happy with my Evo. If the M8/M9 didnt have the gigantic black bar under the screen I would have jumped on them. I've seen all the leaked photos of the M10 but I bought a S7 today, I just got tired of waiting on HTC.

See, this is what I am talking about. Another person gone to the SGS7 because of HTC being late. They only release 1 prime phone a year so they should be getting it right and be timely on when they release their info.

 

[Ry]

It's not ready yet.

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

I wasn't talking about releasing the phone at the same time.. Just the details. Also, don't think it makes much difference to HTC now to be honest. The only people going to even be bothered with the HTC 10 are HTC fan boys. Right now they are losing daily to the SGS7.

Same thing applies - even if they just revealed it; it'll get killed in advertising by Samsung/LG and there'd be 0 hype behind it.

People will be buying phones in May, so when they go into a store and ask what the newest phones out are - the answer would be the HTC 10.

What you're suggesting would be even worse for HTC - reveal the phone in February and release it in May? 3 months later?

We already know HTC are in financial trouble, you expect them to reveal the phone in February and keep advertising it all the way through to its release in May? They’d run out of money before the phone even drops…

Not even Apple, with their obscene amounts of cash do that. They reveal a phone, a week or two later it’s on sale.

 

[DaveInFL]

Reveal the specs...that's all I am talking about. Didn't mention marketing.
They know the specs of the phone so they could release it with more info on when the phone will be released.
These really crappy Instagram things they are doing are more annoying than anything else and reveal almost nothing about the phone.

 

[Bearcats98]

I wasn't talking about releasing the phone at the same time.. Just the details. Also, don't think it makes much difference to HTC now to be honest. The only people going to even be bothered with the HTC 10 are HTC fan boys. Right now they are losing daily to the SGS7.

I think this is very true. And the issue also is that since that render last year; the further they are away from it the more annoyed most will probably be.

And on the flip side; should they release the details that "just don't measure up" before people get to play with it can lose them sales too. If I read something less than satisfying about the hardware I could just give up and S7e too. So HTC is in a huge bind at this time. That M9 debacle cost them dearly....

 

[HoldFastHope]

I'm about to give up on waiting for the announcement of the HTC 10. I loved my G1 and original Evo but I haven't been back to HTC since. I love their hardware and Sense UI but their camera among other things has held me back from purchasing anything else HTC. I've been holding back from getting the SG7E just to wait and see what HTC delivers. But the more I hear and read about the SG7E, the more HTC loses ground with me. Also, knowing that I may lose out on the buy 1 get 1 half off sale waiting for HTC has me a little bitter. Hurry up HTC, you're losing customers every day you wait to announce the HTC 10.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[neo905]

Has anyone here thought that part of the reason they are waiting is to be the first phone with Android N? It is already in preview much earlier this year, ever wonder why? The A9 was the first with Marshmallow. That would be a differentiate it from other phones out now. Especially since most don't even have M yet. I also think it will be updated as fast as Nexus devices. Not everyone can just buy a phone anytime they want. Most do so at the end of contracts. Those are pretty much spread out evenly over the year. Most consumers just look at what's available at the time they can upgrade. They aren't nerds like us lamenting about this. Just get it right HTC. You rushed last year and it was a disaster.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[SactoKingsFan]

Has anyone here thought that part of the reason they are waiting is to be the first phone with Android N? It is already in preview much earlier this year, ever wonder why? The A9 was the first with Marshmallow. That would be a differentiate it from other phones out now. Especially since most don't even have M yet. I also think it will be updated as fast as Nexus devices. Not everyone can just buy a phone anytime they want. Most do so at the end of contracts. Those are pretty much spread out evenly over the year. Most consumers just look at what's available at the time they can upgrade. They aren't nerds like us lamenting about this. Just get it right HTC. You rushed last year and it was a disaster.

Posted via the Android Central App

Doubt that has much to do with late announcement and release. Most people don't care if the phone has the latest software.

 

[DaveInFL]

Doubt that has much to do with late announcement and release. Most people don't care if the phone has the latest software.

Not sure I would agree with that. I think most people would be very happy to know if a phone has the latest and greatest.

With that said, not sure if Android N will be ready for prime time when HTC are looking to release the HTC 10.

Time will tell and we'll just have to keep waiting.