The Taiwanese smartphone shipments reached around 86.0 million units in the first quarter of 2016, down 23.1% sequentially, according to MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute), a Taipei-based ICT research institute.
MIC noted that the sequential decline was attributed to the sluggish iPhone shipments and the delayed launch of Taiwanese branded vendors` flagship products. Overall, due to the lack of growth momentum from both branded vendors and contract manufacturers, the Taiwanese smartphone industry`s full-year shipment volume is projected to reach 356.4 million units in 2016, down 5.4% year on year.
MIC pointed, HTC solely focused on smartphones in the past - has diversified into cameras, smart wristbands, and VR (Virtual Reality) headsets. Since 2015, the company`s marketing focus has centered on VR devices. As for smartphone, HTC 10 was launched one month later than competitors and therefore lost some advantages.
For the Chinese market, HTC rolled out HTC 10 Lifestyle, which is a downgraded version of the regular HTC 10 at a similar price point.
Overall, the sales of HTC 10 and HTC 10 Lifestyle were sluggish. Despite its efforts to boost sales with diverse product mix, HTC`s product sales however will slip further in 2016.
