HTC touts brand growth, multi-platform approach

HTC CEO Peter Chou said the Taiwanese firm has grown in influence as more and more people recognize the brand of the world's No. 4 smartphone maker. He also said the company remains committed to both Google's Android platform and Microsoft's Windows efforts.

HTC CEO Peter Chou Speaking at the AllThingsD D8 conference, Chou said the company has been in the industry for a long time, but it needed to grow its brand identity. Beginning last year, the firm started a new marketing campaign focused on its brand and around the phrase "quietly brilliant."

"I think the HTC name is getting more awareness," Chou said.

Chou recently said HTC will increase the number of smartphones it sells in the U.S. market this year compared with last year, when it sold between 5.5 million and 6 million units.

Indeed, the company has two new, high-profile smartphones on the market right now. Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) is having trouble keeping up with demand for the HTC Droid Incredible and Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) today launched the HTC Evo 4G, its first WiMAX smartphone.

Though both the phones run Android, Chou said the company remains committed to Microsoft's smartphone platform (HTC was the first out of the gate with Windows smartphones in 2002). "We're committed to both platforms," he said. "We want to design great products for both. Different people like different things, so what we try to do is get a good mix of technology and design."

Chou acknowledged that heavy users of the Evo might have to deal with weak battery life. "We are trying to innovate here," he said. "We're aware of the problem. I hope someday this won't be an issue."

In another interesting tidbit, Chou said HTC has considered going public in the United States. "We've thought about it. But we need to think more about timing," he said. "These days, I'm spending most of my time thinking about products. Perhaps with some investment bank help, we can do that."

For more:
- see this AllThingsD blog post
- see this Barron's blog post
- see this Dow Jones Newswires article (sub. req.)
- see this CNet article

Related Articles:
Verizon CEO: Component shortages hampering supply of HTC Incredible
HTC's rise linked to Android, innovation
Sprint launching HTC Evo June 4 for $199
HTC boasts of U.S. smartphone growth
HTC Droid Incredible - a guide to Android