Tuesday, September 19, 2006
HTC Cuts Ties with i-mate and O2
Posted by Darius Wey in "NEWS" @ 07:30 AM
"Until now, HTC has designed and manufactured mobile devices for a range of manufacturers -- including Dopod, O2, i-mate and HP -- but hasn't sold directly to consumers. However, a spokesperson for HTC today confirmed that the company would market smartphone devices in Europe under the HTC brand name. Also re-affirming HTC's consumer push, the Dopod buyout would put HTC in direct competition with its aforementioned customers, potentially leading to HTC designs being sold exclusively under the Dopod branding outside Europe. According to Prim Krithivasan, Director of Dopod's Regional Operator Division in ANZ & India, HTC has cut its ties with both O2 and i-mate. "O2 doesn't have the relationship [with HTC] anymore... [and] going forward the HTC relationship won't extend to i-mate."
That acquisition of Dopod is just about complete, and behind the scenes, we're seeing new partnerships being created and severed. The quote above says all, and with HTC now selling devices under its own brand, i-mate recently moving to other manufacturers (Inventec and TechFaithWireless), and some new non-HTC devices from O2 Asia being leaked, it's all becoming clear.
That acquisition of Dopod is just about complete, and behind the scenes, we're seeing new partnerships being created and severed. The quote above says all, and with HTC now selling devices under its own brand, i-mate recently moving to other manufacturers (Inventec and TechFaithWireless), and some new non-HTC devices from O2 Asia being leaked, it's all becoming clear.
