The HTC One, one of the most high-tech smartphones available.
Cher Wang founded HTC in 1997 and serves as chairwoman. The company has designed and manufactured many popular tablets and smartphones powered by Android and Windows Phone mobile operating systems. The company values public opinion heavily and uses recommendations from retailers, press reviews, and consumer opinions to shape the design of the products. Partnerships with technology giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Qualcomm have given HTC the ability to design the hardware, software, and content management systems of all of its products (HTC Company Overview). In an interview with All Things Digital, Cher explained that she believed the consumer should have choices when picking a cellular device; that’s why she pushes developing cell phones using a variety of operating systems by a variety of carriers (All Things Digital).
HTC also has an impressive history of firsts:
- 1080 pixel display – HTC DROID DNA (2012)
- 4G LTE Windows Phone – HTC TITAN II (2012)
- Smart phone with f2.0 aperture – HTC One X and S (2012)
- Smartphone with Beats Audio – HTC Rezound (2011)
- 4G LTE smartphone on Verizon and AT&T – HTC Thunderbolt and the HTC Vivid (2011)
- 4G smartphone launched in the US – the HTC EVO 4G on Sprint (2010)
- HTC Sense smartphone – HTC Hero (2009)
- Integrated GSM WiMAX 4G phone launched in the world (Russia) – HTC Max 4G (2008)
- Android device – T-Mobile G1 (2008)
- Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 Pocket PC with intuitive TouchFLO touch screen technology – HTC Touch (2007)
- Tri-band UMTS 3G device on the Microsoft Windows Mobile platform – Cingular 8525 (2006)
- Tri-band UMTS PDA (2005)
- 3G Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 device – HTC Universal (2005)
- 3G CDMA Windows Mobile 5 phone – PPC-6700 (Sprint) and XV6700 (Verizon) (2005)
- Microsoft Smart Music Phone – SDA/SDA Music (2004)
- Large 2.8″ TFT touch-screen LCD display – O2 XDA/T-Mobile Germany MDA/T-Mobile PPC Phone (2002)
- Microsoft-powered smartphone (“Stinger”) – the SPV (2002)
- Microsoft wireless Pocket PC – XDA, MDA and PPC (2002)
- Microsoft Pocket PC – Compaq iPAQ (2000)
- Color palm-size PC (1999)
In an interview with Entrepreneur, Cher gave a glimpse into how she started HTC and some of her business practices. In breaking into the business, Cher says that a “relentless focus on delivering a product that meets the needs of customers” was key in gaining a foothold. HTC focuses strongly on the research and development phase of its products to meet consumer, market, and technology trends. Cher also attributes success to the culture of her company. She explained, “We embrace the best of our Eastern roots and combine it with the best of the Western cultures where we have leadership and offices. It makes the culture colorful as well as energetic and creative” (Fell 2012).
Cher admits that “within HTC, hundreds of ideas are tested and discarded to find those rare ideas that define the HTC user experience”. The company does everything it can to watch changes in technology, infrastructure, markets, and in how people work and communicate. It is the intense focus on the consumer that makes HTC so unique. Cher warns that in the tech industry “the greatest pitfall is standing still”. Startup companies appear every day, and one can take the place of another company with ease if others stop learning and observing. Finally, Cher mentioned in her interview that partnerships were extremely important. She explains that finding ways to create benefit for those in the partnership. Regardless of each partner’s strengths and weaknesses, she emphasizes it is extremely important to bring value (Fell 2012).
