HTC Considers Its Own Smartphone Platform

[Ed Hansberry]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=5814' target='_blank'>http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=5814</a><br /><br /></div><p>It seems HTC is considering its own mobile platform, because, well, you know, there aren't enough choices out there. I can just imagine the ideas flowing in a brainstorming session on how to grow the company:</p><p><strong>Creative Guy #1:</strong> So, how can we get more market share? This whole Microsoft partnership hasn't panned out so well for us the last year or so.</p><p><strong>Creative Guy #2:</strong> Let's buy Palm. I hear they are for sale. We can work with WebOS.</p><p><strong>Creative Guy #3:</strong> No, WebOS is old news. I know, let's create a NEW PLATFORM! We'll be the exclusive providers and make a mint!</p><p>Group nods in assent, pats each other on the back and goes out for pizza.</p><p>Now it is <em>possible</em> it didn't' quite happen this way, Whatever really happened, it must have been equally strange. We have today six major smartphone platforms - iPhone, Android, WebOS, Windows Mobile/Phone, Blackberry, and though I hesitate to add them because almost no one ever installs a third party app on it, Symbian. Now, let's not forget that Samsung is doing their own OS called Bada, a name that has an extraneous vowel at the end of it in my opinion. There is also Moblin and Maemo which are merging into MeeGo.</p><p>Furthermore, while I like HTC hardware, their UI enhancements leave a lot to be desired. There are maddening inconsistencies in how TouchFlo 3D works, especially those that remove good features in Windows Mobile. HTC is not, in my opinion, the one that should be coming up with an all new OS and UI. This is yet another reason they should just buy Palm and be done with it.</p><p>On top of all of this, we have super powerful feature phones and devices like the Kin, which target very specific audiences. The market needs consolidation, not more "me too" operating systems. What do you think? Do you generally like the idea that smartphone makers are turning out operating systems faster than GM can design cars that buyers want, or do you think the market needs to consolidate on three or four major platforms?</p>

[randalllewis]

Ed, what you are seeing with all this activity in the phone OS field is that a lot of other companies believe what Microsoft has been saying for a long time: that the mobile phone market is just at its beginning and has lots of market share growth potential. I recall that the conventional wisdom in the tech press for a long time was that Microsoft was wrong and that this would be a race between Apple and Google, with Symbian relegated to the low end devices. And while I wish Microsoft had not taken quite so much time reinventing Windows Mobile/Phone/etc, from the look of WP7 and the Kin, it looks like they put the time to good use.

Eventually, there will be a consolidation among the OS choices and it is probable that not all of the ones that have been announced or rumored will make it to the market. In the meantime, it is fun to watch this all play out. If the result is a series of new and innovative phones for the US market, that can't be a bad thing.

[ptyork]

I think (hope) this is code for "we should have our own OS so we'll buy Palm" instead of "holy crap Apple is suing us and we need good patents to counter them so we'll buy Palm." Much better PR, IMO. It'll be interesting to see, though. They've made a name for themselves as a back-room manufacturer for other companies using other's OS offerings. I'm not convinced that they'll be willing/able to cut those ties completely and go it alone. 'Course, they're kind of already doing that now, I suppose, so I'll just hope. I really do want them to buy Palm...WebOS is such a great mobile OS. I REALLY want it to transition to some really great hardware and be backed by a solid company with deeper pockets.

[vangrieg]

WebOS certainly isn't worth 700 million or whatever Palm's EV is now. IIRC, Google acquired Android for some 100 million and spent another 100 or 150 to make it a product. The business itself is a liability, its value is zero minus what it would take to get rid of it. I have no idea how much those patents are worth, but they are certainly the lion's share of the whole package.

[doogald]

If the patents are worth so much, why is it that Palm themselves are not using them to gain value? Why are they not seeking to either license or sue others for using their patented technology?

I'm wondering if all of the patents are really worth what everybody seems to think they are. Or, perhaps Palm has already cross-licensed with everybody in the past, so the patents are not enforceable?

[David Tucker]

If the patents are worth so much, why is it that Palm themselves are not using them to gain value? Why are they not seeking to either license or sue others for using their patented technology?

I'm wondering if all of the patents are really worth what everybody seems to think they are. Or, perhaps Palm has already cross-licensed with everybody in the past, so the patents are not enforceable?

What's one got to do with the other? A poorly run company isn't going to succeed. And Palm has been poorly run for like 6 or 7 years now.

[Ed Hansberry]

What's one got to do with the other? A poorly run company isn't going to succeed. And Palm has been poorly run for like 6 or 7 years now.

11 yrs at least. It peaked with the Palm V. It has been downhill ever since.

[Menneisyys]

11 yrs at least. It peaked with the Palm V. It has been downhill ever since.

Let me disagree - I think their peak was around 2003, with the T|3, which was the most advanced PDA of its time.