HTC shakes magic 8-ball: smartwatch, new HTC One planned for 2014

This is a bit of a stretch, but according to a recent Bloomberg interview with HTC, the firm will soon venture into smartwatch territory.

There’s been years of both technological and developmental issues surrounding the watch, says HTC, “Many years ago we started looking at smartwatches and wearables, but we believe that we really have to solve the battery problems and the LCD light problems. These are customer-centric problems.”

Smartwatch’s have had a tough time making any sort of emotional impact with users, never mind most of the devices failing financially. If HTC can create a One Smartwatch with a week-long battery, an interface that isn’t at odds with the user (we’re looking at you, Sony Smartwatch and Galaxy Gear), and a paper-thin display, it may be onto something. But of course, what we’re really waiting for is Apple’s smartwatch which is rumoured to launch later this year.

In HTC’s own words, 2013 was not a good year for it. Its shares fell a whopping 53% with revenue dropping to US$6.7-billion. This was HTC’s first annual net loss, no doubt caused by the disappointing failures of the HTC One Max and One Mini.

What stings even more brutally is that despite the HTC One receiving high praises from far and near, it also struggled to find an audience. Is Iron Man to blame for this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVE1OcfB1E4

Probably not

2014’s feeling “positive and optimistic” for HTC, which will also launch the next HTC One come March. Currently, we know that the new One will sport a twin-sensor camera and a far bigger screen. Why it can’t just bump up the pixel count is beyond us. This phablet craze (large screens with too few pixels to support them) is getting out of control. With new phones, a possible smartwatch and a “renewed focus on marketing”, HTC could reverse its fortunes in 2014.