Apple preps new product launch amid lackluster 5C demand
Apple is set to launch new products just in time for the holidays. Yesterday the company sent out press invitations for an Oct. 22 announcement in San Francisco. New iPads are expected to be on the agenda, including a new iPad mini with retina display.
Meanwhile, when it comes to iPhones, Americans are showing a strong preference for Apple’s new 5S. Research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners shows the 5S outselling the 5C by two-to-one in the United States. And there are signs that demand may be sluggish in the rest of the world as well. Today The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has notified its suppliers that it is cutting 5C orders for the fourth quarter.
HTC reportedly working with Amazon
HTC got its start in mobile by making white label phones sold by other brands, and now it may be doing the same thing for Amazon. The Financial Times is reporting that HTC will make as many as three different smartphone models for Amazon.
Amazon’s entry into the smartphone business has been rumored for a while, and last time the rumors surfaced the retail giant stated that it had no plans to launch a phone this year. But with these reports popping up so frequently, a 2014 Amazon smartphone is a reasonable bet.
If HTC is working with Amazon, the company’s visits to the Seattle area may have yielded an extra dividend in the form of new business from Microsoft. Microsoft reportedly wants HTC to make Android phones with the Windows operating system on board as an option for users.
Whether or not the Amazon and/or Microsoft reports prove true, it seems likely that HTC has a future as a high-end contract smartphone maker, even if its own brand is struggling.
