Google was reported to be eyeing HTC’s smartphone business, as the troubled device vendor saw a massive drop in sales for August 2017.


Mobile World Live, quoting reports in the Taiwanese press says the search giant is eyeing HTC’s smartphone unit, but not its Vive VR business. It is not clear if the deal will also include the ailing Taiwanese vendor’s smartphone intellectual property, although the original report referenced Google taking on HTC’s R& activities.

Discussions are said to be in late stages, with a deal expected to be announced by the end of the year. Of course, this is not the first time Google would have acquired a smartphone maker: it owned Motorola Mobility for a while, before selling it to Lenovo. But it never made much of the acquired business, leaving it largely to stand alone.

However, since then Google increased its involvement in the hardware space, for example with its Pixel devices. It also worked closely with HTC on such products, meaning cementing the relationship may make some sense.

But Financial Times cited Yuanta Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who said HTC had already lost “elite engineers” to rivals including Huawei, Lenovo and Asus, and those who remain “shouldn’t be too hard to poach away” – putting the value of a deal into question.

Revenue slump

Google’s timing may be good, however, with HTC’s share price trending downward on the back of continued poor performances. This week, the company reported its lowest monthly sales since 2004. It took the unusual step of stating “monthly revenue does not necessarily represent quarterly trends” – monthly sales figures normally pass without comment.

August 2017 revenue of TWD3 billion ($100 million) was down 54.4 per cent year-on-year from TWD6.58 billion. It was also down 51.6 per cent from July 2017.

According to Focus Taiwan, the drop was attributed to slowing sales of HTC’s flagship U11 smartphone – hardly a good sign at this stage in the device’s lifecycle.

Reports late last month suggested HTC was looking at spinning-out its Vive VR unit, in order to raise some more cash. A full sale of HTC was seen as less likely, due to the lack of a single potential buyer for both its smartphone and VR units.

While Vive has generated a fair share of the headlines, HTC’s smartphone unit still makes up the lion’s share of the business – albeit much diminished from its glory days.

Also, Vive itself is not immune from the effects of competition.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/google-looks-at-devices-market-may-buy-troubled-htc/

Wetin remain, They csn take over other brand names making Android phones too.

Make them come buy PHCN biko

Naso

HTC?
ayam not surprised

Seriously HTC is really struggling, their devices hardly go very far these days, even itel devices hold more market share in Africa than HTC. Hopefully Google can turn things around. Though I think it's better they turn HTC to a complete Android One lineup for the emerging markets since the cost of their Nexus and Pixel Phones are pretty high, they should reduce the cost of the HTC phones. Reminds me of when Lenovo bough Motorola..

Good

Google is a confused company. What have they achieved with Motorola, nexus and pixel?

HTC is overpriced and they want to form like an iPhone without a viable brand. Aside this I love the phone.

Which eye?

When you over look African and Asian market you will struggle

Google does not like the dominance of Samsung on their Android Operating system. Also considering the fact that Samsung is hoping droid goes the blackberry - way, so they can fully launch and dominate with tizen.......

Google is simply positioning itself, to try and overtake Samsung.....

Google started with Motorola, now HTC. Simply sweep up and eat up all financially troubled firms... I hope they also buy UMIDIGI........

might be good

martineverest:
Google is a confused company. What have they achieved with Motorola, nexus and pixel?

Google sold Motorola to Lenovo already, I think twas more of making money than complete rebranding.

Google won't make any difference with HTC. Still looking for a company that can render iPhone useless.

Wawu, Almighty HTC? With their awesome design Maybe they need to review their prices


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Make they come buy our President sef.

wildchild02:


Google sold Motorola to Lenovo already, I think twas more of making money than complete rebranding.

they bought Motorola with $12 brand sold it to Lenovo at $3bn

Lexusgs430:
Google does not like the dominance of Samsung on their Android Operating system. Also considering the fact that Samsung is hoping droid goes the blackberry - way, so they can fully launch and dominate with tizen.......

Google is simply positioning itself, to try and overtake Samsung.....

Google started with Motorola, now HTC. Simply sweep up and eat up all financially troubled firms... I hope they also buy UMIDIGI........

And you just had to mention umidigi..

What's with you and that phone sef?

martineverest:
Google is a confused company. What have they achieved with Motorola, nexus and pixel?

Common bro. You know better.

Nexus and Pixel aren't hafeware firms but just phone models

Motorola was bought simply because of it's patents.

They will probably sell it in no time while retaining their intangibles (patents)

Worksunlimited:


And you just had to mention umidigi..

What's with you and that phone sef?

Oga, today nah Monday o. Why ur blood dey hot?

wildchild02:


Google sold Motorola to Lenovo already, I think twas more of making money than complete rebranding.

It was a loss, because it was sold far less than what they paid for it

Not bad.

Google should not forget the $10/100 dollar smart phone promise of yesteryears.

Lexusgs430:
Google does not like the dominance of Samsung on their Android Operating system. Also considering the fact that Samsung is hoping droid goes the blackberry - way, so they can fully launch and dominate with tizen.......

Google is simply positioning itself, to try and overtake Samsung.....

Google started with Motorola, now HTC. Simply sweep up and eat up all financially troubled firms... I hope they also buy UMIDIGI........

Was enjoying your comment till the umudike part that forced me to recheck your moniker.

mrvitalis:
When you over look African and Asian market you will struggle

Lol... As in ehn... All of dis cpmpanies keep rushing to the US and Europe to sell their overpriced phones....


HTC fought a good fight... Hope google will not treat it like dey did with Motorola

careytommy7:


Was enjoying your comment till the umudike part that forced me to recheck your moniker.

And what did you see, after you rechecked ?

HTC is too expensive