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HTC’s main business is cellphones sold their wireless partners, but they keep their product catalog spread out among carriers and provide enough options in terms of software and hardware to justify a storefront pedaling only their shwag. Turns out, that is exactly what the manufacturer is considering. Following in the footsteps of Apple, Microsoft, and Nokia, HTC has plans to open three flagship stores in Taiwan. Judging on their success, the company would want to further expand with 100 additional retail outlets.
It is unclear whether any of these stores would make it outside of Asia, but we’d imagine the major international markets like New York and London might get their own. The move would encourage people to purchase their next phone based more on product selection rather than carrier, but we still think HTC would need to diversify their lineup a bit more to make the enterprise successful. A tablet might be a good way to start traveling down that road…
[via IntoMobile]
Well this is definitely something very unseen in the wireless industry… No carriers… but manufacturers… This could be awesome or a flop.
I don’t know if it would work in the United States (unless they offer on-contract prices for all their devices). The chance to play around with every HTC device does sound amazing. The difference between Apple & HTC is that Apple also offers computers and software while all this store can possibly offer are phones, accessories and support for their products so not sure how many people would be visiting it. Though, something like a Genius Bar would be AWESOME (especially with Sense 2.0 where they can track down your phone easily).
I say…GO FOR IT! :-)
Btw, me (Ace Curry) and #1 (Curry) are two completely different people in the case that anybody is wondering lol (doubt it, just found it funny)
thatd be great. i want to work at a phone store.
I’D LOVE TO OWN ONE. How amazing would it be to get your hands on every single HTC device?!
But I don’t want them to saturate the market with mid-range phones catering to the 90% of the dumb, general public. They need to come up with a successor to the HD2!!
This would be great…especially when theyre planted in the Space across the way at the Mall.
This great news for future of Android. Mre Android stores means US tecnology tax will be no more. crApple and orher tecnology company’s killing the IT for rest of world. Soon Android will domonate and take over world freeing world once and all from US domonation.
Samsung and/or Sony, might be a better choice. Considering all the products they make, they could validate opening a store front.
peddling
I would rather have a google store. Imagine that, a place where carriers and manufacturers bring their android/chromeOS stuff together, where google shows off their latest tricks, where users can get all the information and hands on time they could ever want.
Oh please HTC, think that one over just one more time and realize that’s just not your thing. You are a manufacturer software and hardware period.
They already have one in The Philippines.
HTC Canada store PLEASE? :)
Sell the unlocked devices. There will only need to be 2 variants for our two types of 3G carriers, or they could even (gasp) make a pentaband phone that works on them all!
Intersting. Not sure how this could be profitable though. ONLY HTC devices all over different carriers. Really, what incentive would one have to go to one of these stores over, say, their service provider shops? I suppose I can see a benefit if they honored on the spot manufacturer warranties.
My thing with this would be that if they wanted to do something like this, one of the options to unify their brand is to start offering the same phone on multiple carriers. I can’t see the engineering being too difficult to do something like that. Just think… a PGE phone on EVERY carrier……
Ok, maybe it’s a pipe dream, but one that I still wish would happen.
lets not forget that phone stores also sell accessories for there devices, so its not likely to be just restricted to phones/(upcoming) tablets, HTC does make there own accessories.
and if i recall, Apple is a software/hardware manufacturer too and they have there own stores complete with non-apple merchandise, they have accessories that go with there product thats not made by them.
I’ve been wanting Google to do this for forever. It would lessen the number of people bricking their phones (get like 10 people from XDA, and they’ll be sooo much better than any Apple store people), plus Google can showcase all of their products–Android, ChromeOS, etc. For me, being able to actually touch and play around with the N1 would’ve persuaded me a lot more to get it. Plus, offering some of the Europe-only phones (Desire, DHD, etc.) that could be unlocked for US carriers would be awesome.
I know this isn’t exactly a Google store, but HTC is my favorite handset maker, so it works for me.
Did not Apple switch to Qualcomm in order to make the next iPhone or iPad compatible with AT&T and Verizon’s Network? Why can’t HTC use that piece and try to get a phone that works at least on AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile (just add extra GSM bands, does that work)? At that point they can make one phone that will cover most cell-phone subscribers in America? What I mean is instead selling three variants of a phone on three different carriers, now a customer can have any variant that HTC has no matter what carrier he or she is on. Just wondering if that is possible.
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/09/rumor-apple-to-ditch-infineon-for-qualcomm-in-iphone-5.ars
HTC and Telia is about to open a concept shop in Copenhagen this year. You won’t be able to buy anything but they will present all their upcomming products, and people can try out their products.
@NCX
You state a valid point, but Apple’s majority of sales/income are for their iPhones, iPods, iPads and computers. HTC has phones, and now tablet(s) coming out. I just don’t see HTC as being a well enough known name yet to pull something like this off. But who knows. I could be (and would love to be) wrong!
Unless they really broaden their product range, there’s no way I see this working. The only reason Apple is so successful at their stores is because they have such a wide range of products. Sure, HTC has a good number of phones and a possible tablet or two, but I just don’t see it working. As everyone else here seems to think, I would also love for this to happen, but I just don’t see it. I love HTC phones. My Eris is the best quality phone I’ve had, but I still don’t think it will work.
You guys know thet already built one in the Philippines in 2009 right?
Sony already has a store in my mall and its been there about 5 years.
Simply the best Android devices on the market! The EVO won me over from Apple last year. Wishing them good luck and great success.
@logan: last time I checked there’s a whole bunch of Sony stores. Where are you posting from?
Will there be HTC Retail stores coming to the United Kingdom?