International investment institutions have mostly turned more conservative about the business outlook for Taiwan-based smartphone vendor HTC (High Tech Computer) in the fourth quarter of 2009 due to the increasing availability of Android-powered smartphones.
The new Android-based smartphones already unveiled by international players included the Cliq from Motorola, the GW620 from LG Electronics (LGE) and the U8220 from China-based Huawei Technologies.
The Cliq will be available in the fourth quarter in the US through T-Mobile USA and the U8220 will be marketed by T-Mobile Europe starting in the UK in October under the trade name T-Mobile Pulse.
In addition, Motorola co-chief executive Sanjay Jha has said that the Cliq was one of the two Android-based smartphones Motorola expected to release by the end of this year and the other Android-based device would be unveiled in the coming weeks.
On the other hand, the GW620 will be available in the fourth quarter of 2009 in select European markets, LGE has said.
HTC is currently cooperating with T-Mobile in the US and Europe, with T-Mobile USA contributing 5-10% to HTC's total revenues a year, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) quoted sources at Credit Suisse as indicating.
Credit Suisse has maintained a neutral rating for HTC stock with a target price of NT$380 (US$11.62), according to EDN. HTC share prices gained NT$2 to close at NT$354 on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) on September 15.
Facing increasing competition, HTC may count on US-based carrier Verizon Wireless as well as Google to help sustain revenue growth in the fourth quarter, the Chinese-language Commercial Times said in a September 15 report.
Verizon is expected to cooperate with HTC to launch its first Android-powered smartphone, the HTC Desire, in the fourth quarter, Commercial Times said, noting that the pair will also launch a mobile TV handset, the Whitestone, in the fourth quarter.
HTC is also likely to cooperate with Google again to roll out the next-generation Google phone, the Passion, in the fourth quarter, the paper added.
Meanwhile, HTC may also begin volume production of its high-end, BMP (Brew Mobile Platform)-based feature handsets in September or October and is expected to team up with Sprint Nextel to launch the Qualcomm-based handsets in the US soon. \
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