AllThingsD » Peter Chou

HTC First: The Hardware Side to Facebook Home

Ina Fried — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:41:00 +0000

While Facebook isn’t building its own phone exactly, it is creating all the tools a hardware maker needs to create such a device.

In addition to making Facebook Home available as a software download, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company has crafted a set of tools for phone makers to include Home from the outset.

The company has a list of hardware makers and carriers already interested in doing such devices, including Samsung, Sony, Huawei and Alcatel One Touch.

As we reported more than a year ago, the first partner will be HTC, which is creating a phone to be sold with AT&T. HTC chief Peter Chou appeared onstage on Thursday to show off the aptly named HTC First, which will be the first device to carry Facebook Home as its default interface.

The phone, which will sell for $99.99 and go on sale April 12, will come in red, white, light blue and black. Preorders start today.

AT&T Mobility chief Ralph de la Vega said the HTC First is a canvas on which to show off what Facebook has done.

“It’s simple and it’s elegant,” de la Vega said.

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HTC in a Long, Dark Tunnel With a Small Flashlight

John Paczkowski — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:42:22 +0000

For HTC’s leadership, the excuses for the company’s current predicament are many and varied. At various times over the past year, they’ve volunteered that HTC “lacks … strategic direction or sense of urgency“; conceded that it “hasn’t done enough on the marketing front“; complained that “competitors .. leverage their scale, brand awareness and big marketing budget to do things which HTC could not do”; and, even more tellingly, admitted that at times it has “simply dropped the ball on products.”

Those are not unreasonable excuses. But the frequency with which they’re being issued is, and that makes it tough to trust claims that HTC is emerging from a tailspin that’s well over a year long now. Certainly no one takes it as writ when CEO Peter Chou says, “The worst for HTC has probably passed; 2013 will not be too bad.”

Particularly after Monday, when HTC reported a net profit that declined for the fifth consecutive quarter, dropping to its lowest level since 2006. Add to that a new IDC study that says that HTC’s global smartphone market share slipped to 4 percent in the third quarter of 2012 from 10.3 percent the year prior, and Chou’s reassurances begin to sound pretty empty. HTC is in a tough spot these days. Quarter by quarter, it’s slipping deeper into the mud, and its days of being the largest Android handset provider in the U.S. — or anywhere, for that matter — seem unlikely to return anytime soon.

HTC is beset on all sides. It’s being pummeled at the market’s high end by Apple and Samsung, while manufacturers like ZTE kick it in the knees at the low end. And its big bets to put forth a flagship device for two different mobile operating systems — Android and Windows Phone — haven’t quite panned out. Samsung has Android locked up, and while there’s still room to throw a few elbows in the Windows Phone market, Nokia has its flag firmly planted there.

HTC’s task, then, is to differentiate itself enough from those rivals to gain traction in the high-end market, while scrapping with second-tier players like ZTE, Huawei and Lenovo that are challenging it in Asia and other emerging markets. And to do that, it cannot “drop the ball” anymore. It must introduce innovative devices, competitive with those of its rivals and market the hell out of them, marketing-budget constraints be damned.

HTC Paying Apple $6 to $8 Per Phone? That's Crazy Talk.

John Paczkowski — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:17:30 +0000

Rumors that Apple’s recent settlement with HTC allows it to collect between $6 and $8 in licensing fees for each smartphone the Taiwanese company ships in 2013 are just that — rumors. Baseless, too, according to HTC CEO Peter Chou, who went out of his way today to dismiss them at a product launch in Tokyo.

“I think that these estimates are baseless and very, very wrong,” Chou said. “It is a outrageous number.”

How outrageous? Well, obviously, Chou wouldn’t say. “I’m not going to comment anything on a specific number,” he said. “I believe we have a very, very happy settlement and a good ending.”

So there you go. That claim of $6 to $8 is ludicrous, but since details of the settlement are confidential, it’s impossible to verify how far off that estimate is. Unless, of course, Samsung succeeds in forcing Apple to provide it with a copy of the settlement, which the company believes is material to its own legal battle with the iPhone maker. Then we’ll see just how outrageous those numbers are.

HTC, Apple Settle Patent Fight

Peter Kafka — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 02:01:19 +0000

So here’s the end of one smartphone patent fight: Apple and HTC have signed a peace treaty, and will withdraw all lawsuits against each other.

The deal comes with a 10-year license agreement.

Here’s the press release. Our mobile maven Ina Fried will have more in a bit:

HTC and Apple Settle Patent Dispute

All Patent Litigation Between The Companies Dismissed

TAIPEI, Taiwan and CUPERTINO, Calif., Nov. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — HTC and Apple have reached a global settlement that includes the dismissal of all current lawsuits and a ten-year license agreement. The license extends to current and future patents held by both parties. The terms of the settlement are confidential.

“HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on innovation instead of litigation,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC.

“We are glad to have reached a settlement with HTC,” said Tim Cook, CEO of Apple. ”We will continue to stay laser focused on product innovation.”

HTC Bulking Up to Battle Apple's "Big Muscle"

John Paczkowski — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:32:39 +0000

HTC has decided not to appeal a February International Trade Commission ruling that found Apple’s iOS devices don’t violate its patent for power management. But don’t view that as a concession of defeat. The company says it has decided to “focus on other pending cases at this time” and, according to chairwoman Cher Wang, it’s bulking up to really take Apple to the mat.

“Apple is a company with ‘big muscle’ and is famous worldwide,” Wang said late Wednesday. “In the United States particularly, it will be able to stop us by all means. This is our challenge. But we are not afraid of challenges because we have innovations. We will apply for patents in different fields, and we will also purchase different kinds of patents, such as those owned by S3 Graphics Co.”

Frankly, at this point, purchasing a few more patents might be a wise move. HTC has already lost a suit it filed against Apple, accusing it of violating patents held by S3 Graphics. And earlier this week, an ITC judge ruled that it cannot assert five patents it borrowed from Google to assert against Apple. Which leaves it in something of a bind, particularly since the ITC ruled last December that HTC had infringed an Apple patent for “data tapping.”

Not that the company’s leadership is all that worried about it. As Wang said, HTC isn’t “afraid of challenges,” and that’s a view shared by CEO Peter Chou. Said Chou, “Patent lawsuits haven’t caused any actual damage to HTC. Only the Street is worried for us, we’re not worried ourselves.”

HTC's Bumpy Road Continues as First-Quarter Sales Drop 35 Percent

Ina Fried — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:56:07 +0000

HTC on Friday released unaudited first-quarter sales figures that show the company continues to struggle amid competition from Samsung, Apple and others.

The Taiwanese cellphone maker said that first-quarter revenues were NT$67.8 billion (U.S. $2.3 billion), a nearly 35 percent drop from a year ago. HTC had predicted it would be a rough quarter when it last reported earnings in February, and the revenue figure was in the range of what the company had said to expect.

The company had been seeing its sales doubling from year-ago levels until hitting a wall in the second half of last year.

HTC is hoping to turn things around with its new One line of high-end Android phones, due to hit the market this month. The company has a major global ad campaign around those products.

This week, HTC also announced an Evo-branded variant of the line that will be among the first phones for Sprint’s new LTE network.

HTC Introduces the One Phone It Hopes Will Help It Regain Footing (Well, the Several Phones)

Ina Fried — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:21:08 +0000

Taiwanese cellphone maker HTC on Sunday announced the phone it is counting on to help it regain the rapid growth that has stalled out in recent quarters.

“You want a phone that is sleek and eyecatching, so that when you pull it out, your friends go, ‘Wow, what is that?’” CEO Peter Chou said, at an event in Barcelona. “Today, I am proud to introduce just such a phone — the HTC One.”

Chou noted that taking photos is the No. 2 thing people do with their phones (after making calls), and promised that the HTC One will be good enough to replace the standard camera.

“It is the one phone you will need,” Chou said. “It is the one camera you will need.”

The flagship HTC One X device will pack a 4.7-inch screen along with a quad-core Nvidia chip in most models, and a Qualcomm chip in its LTE variant.

“HTC One is a speed and performance beast,” Chou said.

Despite its name, the HTC One will come in different shapes and sizes, including a thinner HTC One S model with a 4.3-inch screen and the HTC One V, a model aimed at a broader mass-market audience.

AT&T will carry the HTC One X “in the coming months”; while T-Mobile said in a statement that it will be the U.S. launch partner for HTC One S this spring. Prices were not announced.

The phones will begin shipping globally around April, Chou said, with 150 carriers across the globe committed to carrying the device.

Chou said that the new phone boasts improved software and optics, and a custom image-processing chip. Among its camera bona fides, the HTC One X can take video and shoot pictures at the same time. Other features include improved low-light shooting, thanks to an f/2.0 lens and other abilities.

Among its features are the ability to take a picture within 0.7 seconds — the time it takes people to react to something they see. The camera can autofocus in 0.2 seconds, and can keep taking pictures as long as you hold down the shutter.

“You will not miss another shot,” Chou said. “You can keep them all, or pick a favorite.”

“It is literally faster than the blink of an eye,” he said.

HTC is also integrating Dropbox into its HTC Sense software, with 25 gigabytes of storage included for two years — enough to store 10,000 images, Chou said. He promised improved sound and music management, as well.

“Getting music on a phone is still hard for people,” he said. “HTC One makes it easy.”

Chou said that one only has to sync with their PC once; music will sync over Wi-Fi from then on.

Chou also drew a contrast between HTC and other companies like Samsung and Sony, noting that its Media Link software works with any brand, as opposed to rivals whose strategy focuses on direct ties with their own TVs.

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Phone Maker HTC Reports Tough Quarter and Forecasts Continued Pain Ahead

Ina Fried — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:18:17 +0000

Taiwanese phone maker HTC on Monday reported a lackluster fourth quarter and predicted a further drop in sales and profit margins amid strong competition.

For the fourth quarter, HTC said it earned 10.94 billion Taiwanese dollars ($369 million), or 13.06 Taiwan dollars per share (44 cents U.S.), on revenue of 101.42 billion Taiwan dollars ($3.42 billion).

That’s a revenue drop of more than 2 percent from a year earlier, for a company that until recently had been seeing sales doubling those of prior periods.

HTC had already warned of the sales drop when it released unaudited results last month. However, its outlook for the current quarter offered a further disappointment.

The company forecast that, for the current quarter, sales will drop to between 65 billion and 70 billion Taiwanese dollars, with gross margins falling to 25 percent from last quarter’s 27 percent. HTC said it expects the dip in margins to be temporary.

“While short term performance may not meet the results as expected, we have gained further experience and advancement in the areas of brand management and product innovation,” CEO Peter Chou said in a statement. “These fundamental strengths and the groundwork we have laid will take us into 2012 with a renewed focus and determination.”

HTC was on a roll for much of 2010 and 2011, rapidly growing sales amid the surge in Android demand.

In Monday’s earnings release, the company reiterated its plans to focus on fewer new devices this year, a strategy similarly being undertaken by also-struggling Motorola.

Final AsiaD Speakers: Apple's Phil Schiller and Former VP Al Gore

Kara Swisher — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:15:32 +0000

And then there was Schiller and Gore.

That would be Apple’s SVP of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller and former Vice President Al Gore, who round out the stellar list of speakers at our upcoming AsiaD conference.

Taking place from Oct. 19 to 21 in Hong Kong, the lineup is already impressive, with a mix of speakers from China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, as well as Silicon Valley and elsewhere.

The previously announced speakers include: Alibaba Group’s Jack Ma; Google Android head Andy Rubin; Twitter inventor and product guru, as well as Square co-founder and CEO, Jack Dorsey; Nvidia founder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang; Asus Chairman Jonney Shih; Sony president and second-in-command Kazuo “Kaz” Hirai; Google+ guru Bradley Horowitz; Hollywood big shot Peter Chernin; Huawei’s North American R&D head John Roese; Microsoft’s Windows Phone head Andy Lees; and a panel of Silicon Valley start-up stars — Joyus’ Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, SurveyMonkey’s Dave Goldberg and Airbnb’s Brian Chesky; Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang and Asia head Rose Tsou; LivingSocial’s Tim O’Shaughnessy, along with founders of two of its Asian units, Daniel Shin and Paul Srivorakul; Samsung mobile head Dr. Won-Pyo Hong; HTC CEO Peter Chou, who replaces Chairwoman Cher Wang.

Schiller, who reports to Apple’s CEO Tim Cook (and before that, Steve Jobs) is a member of the executive team of the tech icon, where he has worked for 17 years. He is responsible for a swath of Apple’s outward-facing businesses, including product marketing, developer relations and business marketing.

Today, in fact, he was onstage at Apple’s iPhone event, outlining some of its new product offerings. In addition, Apple just opened its first retail store in Hong Kong.

Gore, who had a memorable interview at the fourth D: All Things Digital conference in 2006, needs little introduction. The former VP and Nobel Peace Prize winner is now chairman of Current TV and also continues as a prominent environmental activist.

Gore is on the board of Apple, while also being a senior adviser to Google, which is a neat trick. At the same time, he is a partner in the famed Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins, and co-founder and chairman of Generation Investment Management, a partnership that is focused on sustainable investing.

And, as most people know, he knows a thing or two about the Internet.

Walt Mossberg and I could not think of two better people to add to the lineup we have for AsiaD, which has very few seats left.

See you in China in two weeks!

Seeking Street Cred, HTC Investing $300 Million in Beats Electronics

Ina Fried — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 00:15:00 +0000

Taiwanese cellphone maker HTC is making a strategic tie-up with Beats Electronics, investing $300 million for a majority stake in the digital sound company and working to incorporate Beats technology into its product line.

“With the magic of mobile devices, it is easier than ever to discover and buy new music,” HTC CEO Peter Chou said in an interview with AllThingsD on Wednesday. “However, without great sound experience, it is a shame.”

HTC had said earlier on Wednesday it would have news on Thursday, but offered only the mildest of clues as to the announcement — noting only that it was coming out of Los Angeles.

The partnership is the latest move by HTC to strengthen its brand, particularly in the U.S. Although the company has seen fast-growing sales and gained ground against big-name cellphone makers, it remains less well known than rivals such as Samsung and Motorola. Chou said the Beats deal should “help create an emotional connection to HTC’s brand.”

Beats CEO (and legendary music producer) Jimmy Iovine told AllThingsD that the partnership with HTC is just the latest piece of his crusade to improve the sound in modern electronics. Iovine said that the shift from listening to music on stereos to one where MP3s are played on computers has led to “an entire generation lost to bad-sounding music.”

While the move to digital has seen TV move toward high-definition video, Iovine said audio quality has actually declined. “We went to digital and got worse,” he said. “That’s unacceptable. What has to happen is anyone who makes consumer electronics that transmits music has to be encouraged — to put it mildly — to have great audio.”

The first HTC product with Beats technology included is due out later this year, though Chou declined to offer any details. Beats has a separate deal with HP, which Iovine said remains intact. HP includes Beats technology in its PCs as well as the TouchPad tablet. The partnership is exclusive to HTC for cellphones, the companies said.

Beats has also honed its pitch to electronics makers — helping them avoid becoming just one of many sound-alike products.

“You can’t really exist as a consumer electronics company and not become a commodity, unless you understand popular culture,” he said. In addition to HP, Beats also has its Beats by Dr. Dre line of headphone products with Monster.

HTC Promises "Major News Announcement" on Thursday

Ina Fried — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:28:52 +0000

Taiwanese cell phone maker HTC has said it has some big news to announce on Thursday, scheduling a morning news conference with CEO Peter Chou.

The conference call with reporters is slated for 8:30 a.m. PT.

Among the only hints in the terse announcement was the fact that the news is being made in Los Angeles, Calif.

Is the fast-growing cell phone company getting its star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? I’ll try to find out, but celebrity gossip is always welcome at my e-mail address (ina@allthingsd.com).

Update, 5:15 p.m. And here’s the scoop: HTC is investing $300 million in Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine’s Beats Electronics.

HTC Sales Continue Steep Upward Trend

Ina Fried — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:05:33 +0000

Taiwanese cellphone maker HTC issued another upbeat earnings report on Friday, as second-quarter profit and revenue more than doubled from a year earlier.

The company said it earned 17.52 billion Taiwanese dollars (US $606.7 million) on revenue of NT$124.4 billion ($4.3 billion) in the quarter. Unit shipments of 12.1 million were up 123.7 percent from a year ago and almost 25 percent from an already strong first quarter.

“Consumer reactions to our award-winning designs have driven us to another record-breaking quarter,” HTC CEO Peter Chou said in a statement. “Our teams work so hard to create each individual experience on the device, and it is gratifying for all of us to see them embraced at the volume levels we are consistently reporting across the globe.”

Average selling prices ticked up 2.6 percent from year-ago levels, to $349. The average selling prices did dip a bit from the prior quarter as the company introduced several lower-priced Android smartphones, including its Facebook-centric ChaCha and Salsa phones, as well as the Wildfire S.

For the third quarter, the company said to expect shipments of about 13.5 million units with revenue of around NT$137 billion, up 10 percent from the prior quarter and 80 percent from last year’s third quarter.

HTC Shows Off First Tablet, Android Phone With Facebook Button and More

Ina Fried — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:55:15 +0000

HTC on Tuesday became the latest cellphone maker to “friend” Facebook in an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the social network.

At a press conference due to start any minute, the Taiwanese cellphone maker is set to show off a pair of Android phones–the Cha Cha and the Salsa–as well as its first tablet and several other Android devices.

HTC’s move follows that of INQ Mobile, which last week announced two Android models that feature heavy Facebook integration. Gemalto also announced Monday it plans to integrate Facebook into SIM cards, allowing users of low-end phones better access to the social network.

Like many others’ news here at the show, most of HTC’s had leaked out well ahead of the event.

One particularly nice touch–HTC planned ahead and ran Ethernet cables to each seat in the theater. (Unfortunately, Mobilized left the MacBook Air Ethernet adapter back in the apartment.)

Mobilized has live coverage of the event below.

9:58 am: Still waiting for the press conference–which was due to start a half hour ago–to get under way. We do have comfy seats and soothing music, but would have prefereed an extra half hour of sleep.

9:59 am: Apparently all I had to do was complain. Now it’s getting started with CEO Peter Chou taking the stage.

“2011 is going to be an amazing year,” Chou promises.

Some analysts predict smartphones will outsell feature phones, Chou says.

“Features that were once fancy, extra, are now becoming standard,” he says. “‘Nice to have’ is turning into ‘must have.’”

Hardware is important, but so are software and services like Sense and HTCSense.com. Company plans new versions of HTC Sense for phones with keyboards, larger screens, etc.

10:04 am: Some stats from Chou:

25 million smartphones sold last year, more than double the prior year, with revenue up 93 percent.

The company’s global brand awareness reached 50 percent, up from 13 percent a year and a half ago. (Of course, that means half of consumers still don’t know HTC, but a big improvement nonetheless.)

10:05 am: On to 2011: 4G networks will change everything again. HTC Thunderbolt, its first LTE smartphone, shipping this week with Verizon.

10:07 am: Company is announcing five phones today, the most it has ever announced at one time. Chou says.

“I hope you agree it has been worth the wait,” Chou says, bringing out John Wang, HTC’s chief marketing officer.

10:07 am: Talking about HTC Sense. Location-data for 83 countries. HTC spent a year and a half building the maps product. You can preload, so travel won’t cost a fortune in roaming charges.

Weather is another good example, Wang says, where the company aimed not just to provide information, but also offer an emotional experience.

“When it is sunny you almost feel the warmth on your body. When it rains, you almost want to wipe your phone dry.”

10:10 am: First demo fails as video he wants to show won’t play.

“Well, maybe later on,” Wang says, moving on to the new phones.

And another fails as whatever was supposed to happen isn’t happening.

Okay, here we go. HTC Desire S. And, we’ve got some more demo fail going on.

10:12 am: “We apologize for this,” Wang says, annoucing a few-minutes pause.

10:15 am: And we are back, with HTC Desire S, Incredible S and Wildfire S.

Desire S doesn’t have front and back. Machined out of a single block of aluminum. “It feels solid in your hand,” Wang says. Also has full HD video recording.

Wildfire S, smaller and in three colors. “It can almost disappear into your pocket. (Mobilized hates it when that happens. We’ve put two iPod Nanos through the wash.

10:20 am: HTC Incredible S. As you rotate the large Android phone, the icons on the buttons also rotate. 8-megapixel camera, integrated video chat with front-facing camera. “Incredible S combines premium design with premium experience,” Wang says.

So, essentially these are updates to the existing product line.

Next up, the Facebook phones.

10:22 am: There are 500 million Facebook users worldwide, but 200 million check it on their phones. Those users are twice as engaged. Many young people check Facebook right when they wake up with a significant number doing so from their phones before they even wake up, Wang says.

Now showing a video of HTC’s work with Facebook to build the new phones.

10:24 am: Video of Facebook CEO Marc Zuckerberg touting the device.

“A lot has been made about a Facebook phone,” Zuckerberg says, but adds that there will be more than a dozen phones this year with deep social integration. “HTC is doing that here.”

Mobilized is apologizing in advance, but I may not make it through the whole press conference.

10:26 am: The new phones–the Cha Cha (with keyboard) and Salsa (touch-only) both have a dedicated blue Facebook button at the bottom.

10:27 am: Can use button to post updates, but also if taking a picture can use that button to share social network. “When you press this button, the photo is instantly uploaded to Facebook,” Wang says. Button blinks also when reading an article on the Web. Press the Facebook button and it will share that on Facebook. Similar, when you are listening to a song, pressing the button will share that information.

If you hold button down, you check in on Facebook Places.

Both phones also support Facebook messaging and chat.

“We did not just add social networking to the phone,” Wang says.

10:30 am: Bringing up Facebook VP Chamath Palihapitiya to talk about the partnership.

“I’m just frankly very thrilled we are taking this very important step, which I think will be the first of many,” he says, saying he expects Facebook and HTC to do more things together.

10:32 am: Chou back up, saying he could just stop with five great phones and ensure another great year. But he’s not. There’s a tablet coming.

10:34 am: Chou says the company could have rushed out another “me too” experience, but says that wasn’t what the company wanted to do.

Showing video of how the company came up with its tablet, the HTC Flyer.

10:37 am: Chou holds up the Flyer, then hands things back to Wang. Flyer also has unibody design, which he says makes the tablet feel solid but keeps it lightweight.

HTC wanted it to be comfortable to hold in hand. At 415 grams it is about the same weight as a paperback book.

Here are a few features: 1.5GHz chip, 6-hour battery life, dual cameras, Flash 10 and HTML 5 support, along with new 3-D-based HTC Sense experience.

10:40 am: Also has a stylus–unique among Android tablets–HTC Scribe technology.

Allows you to share things more easily, Wang says. Just scribble “let’s go” on a restaurant Web page and press a button and it is sent.

You can also use it to do audio note taking–a la Livescribe, where notes are synchronized to the audio.

Mobilized has to jam to our next meeting, but I think we have hit the high points.

Verizon Wireless Touts 4G Network, Shows Off Devices

Ina Fried — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:03:21 +0000

Well, we didn’t learn much new about Verizon Wireless’s new network or devices at the Ivan Seidenberg keynote on Thursday, but he did say that the company would have a preview of its LTE device lineup at this afternoon’s press conference.

Here’s hoping there are a few surprises here beyond the previously announced Motorola Atrix and Xoom.

The event is set to kick off shortly and Mobilized will have live coverage here.

1:05 pm: Well, despite timely warnings to get in our seats beginning at 12:45, it’s now five minutes after and the techno is still pumping.

1:11 pm: Okay. Getting started. Loud music gets louder. Cue video.

Tony Melone and Marni Walden take the stage and CEO Daniel Mead (at least I think it is Mead) is doing an intro.

1:15 pm: Another video now playing with partners. Since HTC CEO Peter Chou is in there, I think it is probably safe to say their oft-rumored LTE smartphone will make an appearance.

1:16 pm: Samsung and Ericsson execs also in the video.

1:17 pm: Verizon exec now touting the advantages of its 4G network including its spectrum, which it says will give it the best in-building coverage.

Also talking about how it is sharing its spectrum with rural service providers.

1:18 pm: Mead: “We’re very pleased to be part of bringing broadband to rural America.”

1:21 pm: Mead hands off to CTO Tony Melone to talk 4G and LTE.

Melone says that the company knows there is a lot of skepticism of the company’s move to go straight to LTE but that the bet is paying off with more networks and running faster than planned.

“The customer feedback we are getting is everything we had hoped for and then some,” Melone says.

Melone talks about 4G LTE plans.

Thirty-six months from now we will have the nation covered with LTE, Melone says. Two-thirds of the population will be covered in 2012. This year alone, he says, Verizon will add 140 new markets, including places like Little Rock, Detroit and Sioux Falls.

1:26 pm: On to devices.

Ten devices coming by mid-year being shown on stage: Four smartphones, two tablets, two notebooks and two mobile hotspots.

1:33 pm: LG CEO shows off the LG Revolution, what appears to be a slimmish smartphone.

Next up, Skype’s CEO talks about a new partnership that will allow for Skype to be always on and integrated into the address book of all of Verizon’s LTE smartphones,

1:34 pm: He’s followed by HTC CEO Peter Chou, who introduces the HTC Thunderbolt.

Chou says he’s been personally testing and using the Thunderbolt, which features the new Skype video chatting along with HTC’s Sense user interface.

“Let me tell you, it’s blazing fast,” Chou says.

Other features include a built-in 4G hotspot and a 4.3-inch Super LCD screen.

1:37 pm: He thanks Qualcomm and Google engineers that worked together to create the device, so guessing this one isn’t using Nvidia’s Tegra chip.

Next up is Electronic Arts VP Travis Boatman. EA’s mobile games lineup ranges from Monopoly and Tetris to Need for Speed and the FIFA 11 soccer game.

The new mobile version of Rock Band for Verizon’s LTE network lets people form a band and remotely jam over the network.

Samsung executive goes onstage to show off three devices for the LTE network, One is a mobile hotspot, one is a smartphone and the other is a 4G version of the Galaxy Tab.

Phone packs 4.3-inch Super Amoled Plus display, which is said to boost colors and offer improved display. It’s got an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with HD video and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat.

The tablet has a 1.2GHz processor developed by Samsung, while the hotspots provide connections to up to five users at a time.

Most impressive is the fact that the Samsung executive pulled all three devices out of various pockets.

Marni Walden shows off the remaining devices–a Novatel MiFi hotpot that works with both 3G and 4G networks.

There is also a Compaq Netbook, an HP notebook, as well as the previously announced Motorola Xoom and Motorola Droid Bionic.

1:47 pm: On to Q&A (hoping laptop No. 2 holds out through the end of question time.)

First question has to do with LTE speeds, which often exceed the 5- to 12-megabit speeds promised. Mead says that the company’s goal is to meet the promised speed range once the network is fully loaded, something that is not the case today.

Next question is on battery life. Melone says the company believes it will be able to meet customer expectations in that regard.

The company says it won’t announce pricing or rate plans for the 4G products, beyond noting its current prices for 4G laptop cards and service.

As for simultaneous voice and data, Walden says the company intends that at least some of its 4G launch devices will support talking and accessing data at the same time.

“It could be on some devices and not all,” Walden says.

Walden also confirms all the phones it showed Thursday are running Android.

1:55 pm: Asked about net neutrality, Mead says that what the industry needs is “unfettered development.”

“We think the free market system works very well, and we don’t need a lot of heavy intervention.”

AT&T and Friends Talk Up 4G Network, New Devices

Ina Fried — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:35:33 +0000

AT&T said on Wednesday that it plans to speed up development of its next-generation cellular network, completing the LTE network by the end of 2013.

Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show, AT&T executive Ralph de la Vega said that the company plans to release 20 4G devices this year both for the LTE network and for its current HSPA+ network.

De La Vega said just after that that the company will have devices on the Apple, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 operating systems. (Update: 12:12 p.m.: While some in the audience, including Mobilized, heard an implication that there would be a 4G iPhone, an AT&T representative said De La Vega was only saying that the iPhone would be part of AT&T’s smartphone lineup and not suggesting a 4G version.)

Among the devices that will be on AT&T’s HSPA+ network is the Motorola Atrix 4G, a dual-core-powered Android phone from Motorola. The phone, which also packs 1GB of RAM, was launched by Sanjay Jha, CEO of newly split-off Motorola Mobility. one of the more interesting features is the phone’s optional “lap dock,” which allows the phone to power a small laptop capable of running a desktop version of the Firefox browser, among other programs.

AT&T will also have a new phone from HTC that will include a new version of the company’s Sense user interface and also connect to a new HTCSense.com Web portal.

“HTCSense.com makes your smartphone even smarter,” HTC CEO Peter Chou said, demonstrating a feature that lets you ring your phone when it is lost in the house or send a lost-and-found message to appear on a phone you left in a cab.

By building both HSPA+ and LTE networks, De la Vega said that the company will offer more speed and flexibility.

“More importantly, we will deliver an experience our competitors will not be able to match,” De la Vega said.

HTC CEO Peter Chou at D8: The Full, Uncut Video

Adam Tow — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:26:12 +0000

As promised, All Things Digital is posting the full videos from our eighth D: All Things Digital conference, held in early June.

Here’s Walt Mossberg’s interview with HTC CEO Peter Chou, who heads the Taiwan-based smartphone maker.

As Digital Daily’s John Paczkowski wrote in June:

“Over the past few years, Chou has transformed HTC from a contract handset manufacturer into a smartphone powerhouse, a company that ranks behind only Nokia (NOK), Research in Motion (RIMM) and Apple (AAPL) in global smartphone shipments. That’s quite an achievement and one attributable to the very early, savvy bet Chou made on Google’s (GOOG) Android mobile operating system.

But that same bet has gotten HTC into trouble as well, most notably a high-profile lawsuit from Apple alleging that a number of HTC’s Android devices infringe patents related to the iPhone’s graphical user interface, underlying architecture and hardware.”

Oh, that…which is all discussed in the full video of the D8 interview session with Chou.

[ See post to watch video ]

Want to see it bigger? Click here.

Note: We’ll be posting full D8 videos on Mondays and Thursdays. Next up: Ford (F) CEO Alan Mulally.

Full D8 Interview Video: HTC CEO Peter Chou

Kara Swisher — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:44:08 +0000

As promised, All Things Digital is posting the full videos from our eighth D: All Things Digital conference, held in early June.

Here’s Walt Mossberg’s interview with HTC CEO Peter Chou, who heads the Taiwan-based smartphone maker.

As Digital Daily’s John Paczkowski wrote in June:

Oh, that…which is all discussed in the full video of the D8 interview session with Chou.

[ See post to watch video ]

Want to see it bigger? Click here.

Note: We’ll be posting full D8 videos on Mondays and Thursdays. Next up: Ford (F) CEO Alan Mulally.

D8 Video: HTC CEO Peter Chou on Windows and Android

John Paczkowski — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:00:07 +0000

HTC, Taiwan’s largest mobile-phone maker, designs and manufactures devices for Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows Phone OS and Google’s (GOOG) Android OS. To which is the company more committed? HTC CEO Peter Chou speaks to that question, as well as to the differences between the two platforms, in the video below.

[ See post to watch video ]

HTC CEO Peter Chou Live at D8

John Paczkowski — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:54:53 +0000

HTC, a company that once built devices for other brands, is today a powerful brand itself. And CEO Peter Chou is largely responsible for that. Over the past few years, Chou has transformed HTC from a contract handset manufacturer into a smartphone powerhouse, a company that ranks behind only Nokia (NOK), Research in Motion (RIMM) and Apple (AAPL) in global smartphone shipments. That’s quite an achievement and one attributable to the very early, savvy bet Chou made on Google’s (GOOG) Android mobile operating system.

Liveblog

11:55 am: How many of you have an Android phone, asks Walt, directing his question to the audience. If you do, it’s likely to have been made by HTC. And with that, Walt welcomes Chou to the stage.

11:56 am: Walt notes that when he first encountered HTC it was an OEM. How did you get from there, he asks Chou, to where you are now, where your brand is actually on the phone?

Chou: It was a great journey for us. We started with a vision of mobile convergence and how smartphones would change people’s lives. That vision excited us, so we focused on innovations in technology and tried to deliver on that vision. Over the years, we began partnering with companies like Microsoft, Google. Then we shipped the world’s first Windows phone, the world’s first Android phone, and this week, we introduced the world’s first 4G phone, the Sprint (S) EVO. So we’ve been in this industry for a while. But we needed a brand identity. Without that, it was difficult to communicate our vision to the market.

11:59 am: Walt–Other than 4G, what’s innovative about the EVO?

Chou: It has a breakthrough display, it’s much bigger, it’s clearer. It has an eight-megapixel camera and a front-facing camera as well. It’s the first device in the U.S. that people can use to make a video call. It’s also a hotspot; you can use it to create a Wi-Fi network.

12:01 pm:: Walt likes the device’s kickstand. It turns it into a sort of mini-TV. He draws a comparison with the Dell (DELL) tablet we saw yesterday and notes that that device’s screen size is not much larger than the EVO’s.

12:02 pm: Walt–So this is an Android device. You’re still making Windows phones, but are you making more Android phones now?

Chou: We’re committed to both platforms. 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. And Android and Windows cater to different users. Windows users tend to like Windows. They are loyalists. Windows has a lot of value.

Walt: What about Android?

Chou: Android provides a different Internet experience. It caters to people who are interested in things like social networking, he says.

12:05 pm: Walt wonders why, if HTC is committed to both platforms, it doesn’t differentiate its handset design. The company’s Windows phones look a lot like Android phones. There’s an HTC layer on them–HTC Sense.

Chou: Well, what we do is try to add value on top of Android and Windows. HTC Sense focuses on things like the social networking experience. Our philosophy is that we don’t force the customer to take what we offer; they have the freedom to personalize their devices.

Walt: So you can take HTC software off these phones?

Chou: Yes.

12:07 pm: Walt–Is there a consumer awareness of your brand? When customers buy a Nexus One, do they know it’s made by HTC?

Chou says they do. Since last year, the company has been working on brand positioning, and that has bolstered consumer awareness of its offerings.

12:08 pm: Chou offers an anecdote about meeting a guy at an airport and comparing HTC devices with him. “I think the HTC name is getting more awareness.”

12:09 pm: Walt–Do you think it’s confusing to customers that there are now three brands involved in a phone: The carrier, the manufacturer of the phone and then the operating system? Can you have too many brands on a device?

Chou: This is an ecosystem. We have a lot of stakeholders. We’re trying to minimize that a little bit, by putting some of those logos on the back.

12:12 pm: Walt–Talk a bit about this concept of a lower-tier of smartphone device.

Chou: Our vision is to bring the smartphone to the mass market…We believe the smartphone is improving people’s lives, so we’re trying to offer it to more consumers, but sometimes, smartphone prices are too high, even with carrier subsidies. And mass-market consumers sometimes perceive smartphones as overly complex devices, so we’re trying to bring prices down and simplify devices at the same time. We’re doing this with the HTC smart. This is a $150 phone [as opposed to the typical $400 smartphone].

Walt: Is HTC Smart an Android phone?

Chou: No. It uses Qualcomm (QCOM) BREW.

Walt: Does it have a different Web browser? Is it as good as WebKit?

Chou says it’s not–at least not yet. He says the device has been relatively well received though. He also notes that given the low price, it can be offered by carriers at very low prices.

12:17 pm: Walt–Is there fragmentation in Android? Some app developers tell me Android’s landscape is too cluttered. Is HTC Sense making this worse?

Chou: HTC Sense is not causing the problem here. We try not to fragment. All apps can run on HTC Sense. There’s no fragmentation, though there may be confusion there. The operating system itself may cause a bit of a problem. But it’s a small one…and it occurs more with older devices. We try to be careful to do good porting on our devices …

Questions & Answers

Q: What are you doing to improve battery life in these new devices? [Walt notes that the EVO's battery runs down "alarmingly fast"]

A: We understand that if your a heavy mobile user, the battery is a concern. The EVO’s battery is removable–not like the iPhone. [I think he's suggesting that users carry an extra one.] We are trying to innovate here. We’re aware of the problem. I hope someday this won’t be an issue.

Q: Any other phones in your pockets?

A: Chou chuckles.

Q: Can you talk about HTC’s plans to expand into other areas of electronics–tablets for example.

A: We’re very focused on smartphones today. We’re focusing our business on mobile operators. However, as an innovator, one of our defining characteristics is to create new technologies. So in our labs, we’re developing new devices like the HTC Shift [a tablet, I think].

Q: What’s your take on the Foxconn suicides?

A: I don’t know details about this. What I know is from the news. But this is a very well-equipped factory. There must be something there beyond manufacturing or salary issues, something cultural maybe. Times change, China changes and the value system may have also changed, and working long hours under very strict management may be very tough for some people. I’m not in a position to speak about this though, because we own a factory as well. We value our employees, we treat them well, we treat them as an asset. It’s really difficult for me to comment on Foxconn.

Q: Will you list your stock in the U.S.?

A: We’ve thought about it. But we need to think more about timing. These days, I’m spending most of my time thinking about products. Perhaps with some investment bank help, we can do that.

And that’s a wrap.

A note about our coverage: This liveblog is not an official transcript of the conversation that occurred onstage. Rather, it is a compilation of quotes, paraphrased statements and ad-lib observations written and posted to the Web as quickly as possible. It is not intended as a transcript and should not be interpreted as one.

Welcome Back, Steve: Apple CEO Jobs to Appear Onstage at D8

Kara Swisher — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:01:30 +0000

Apple (AAPL) CEO and Co-founder Steve Jobs will appear at the eighth D: All Things Digital, in an interview on the opening night, kicking off our tech and media conference that will also include famed Hollywood director James Cameron, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, among others.

(Jobs is pictured above at D5 in 2007.)

Jobs has been onstage many times at D, including in a famous joint session with Microsoft (MSFT) Co-founder Bill Gates. In the interview, which was conducted by Walt Mossberg and me, the pair of tech legends talked about their long history in the industry (you can see the video of that interview below).

There is much to talk to Jobs about, obviously, including the new iPad, the mobile market and the iPhone, its tense relationship with Google (GOOG) and the next innovations from the Silicon Valley computer icon.

It should be a news-filled year at D. Also onstage: Ballmer, who is appearing with the software giant’s chief software architect Ray Ozzie. In addition, Cameron will discuss the impact of tech on the film industry and his mega-hit movie “Avatar.”

Also onstage: Steve Burke, COO of Comcast (CMCSK), which recently purchased NBC Universal; Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski; former AOL (AOL) leaders Steve Case and Ted Leonsis; Peter Chou, CEO of HTC, which is embroiled in an ugly legal fight with Apple; John Donahoe, president and CEO of eBay (EBAY); former Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) CEO Carly Fiorina, who is now a candidate for U.S. Senate in California; Paul Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm (QCOM); Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG; Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford (F); Richard Rosenblatt, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Demand Media, in a session with Editor-in-Chief, President and CEO Paul Steiger of ProPublica; Vivian Schiller, president and CEO of National Public Radio; and, last but hardly least, Zuckerberg of Facebook (yes, Mark, there will be a question about competition you’ll need to answer–and not via a question about the question either–be prepared!).

We also have a few more speakers to announce, so stay tuned.

Here is the Jobs-Gates video from 2007:

[ See post to watch video ]

And here’s our official press release:

STEVE JOBS, JAMES CAMERON AND STEVE BALLMER TO SPEAK AT THE EIGHTH ANNUAL “D: ALL THINGS DIGITAL” CONFERENCE

NEW YORK (April 27, 2010)–All Things Digital today announced the speaker lineup for the eighth D: All Things Digital, The Wall Street Journal executive conference that will be held from June 1-3, 2010 near Los Angeles, Calif.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be this year’s opening-night speaker, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will make his fourth appearance and “Avatar” director James Cameron will appear onstage at D for the first time on the annual event’s second night.

Founded by co-producers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher in 2003, the D conference is a gathering of the most influential figures in media and technology. Each year, Mossberg and Swisher put these top players to the test onstage during unrehearsed, unscripted conversations. The results are candid, entertaining sessions that provide glimpses into the strategies of the industry’s most creative thinkers.

D8 will also showcase leading executives from the mobile, digital, media, automotive and political arenas including:

• Steve Burke, COO of Comcast
• Steve Case, Chairman and CEO of Revolution
• Peter Chou, CEO of HTC
• John Donahoe, President and CEO of eBay
• Carly Fiorina, Candidate for U.S. Senate, California
• Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the FCC
• Paul Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm
• Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG
• Ted Leonsis, Vice Chairman Emeritus of AOL, Chairman of Revolution Money and Owner of Washington Capitals
• Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford
• Ray Ozzie, Chief Software Architect of Microsoft
• Richard Rosenblatt, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Demand Media
• Vivian Schiller, President and CEO of National Public Radio
• Paul Steiger, Editor-in-Chief, President and CEO of ProPublica
• Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Facebook

Live blogs and photos from each session will be available on AllThingsD.com during each interview, with video highlights posted shortly afterwards.

The D conference has been sold out since January. For more information, full D coverage and video of past conferences including the historic joint appearance by Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at D5, see http://allthingsd.com/d/.

D8 is sponsored by AMD, Houlihan Lokey, Juniper Networks, Microsoft, NYSE Euronext, Qualcomm and Thomson Reuters.

ITC to Investigate HTC Over AAPL IP

John Paczkowski — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:19:27 +0000

If patent suits Apple filed against HTC in March didn’t send rival smartphone makers scrambling to review their devices for potential infringements, this certainly will. The U.S. International Trade Commission has decided to investigate Apple’s infringement claims against the Taiwanese handset maker. And it has the power to order a ban on imports of offending HTC devices if a violation is found.

That the agency has decided to investigate does not mean it has an opinion on the merits of the case. Still, the move has got to weigh heavily on HTC, which hasn’t yet even issued a formal response to Apple’s (AAPL) claims. That said, the company seems to be taking it all in stride. Said CEO Peter Chou: “It’s part of business. We need to face it and everyone can talk it through.”

Further Reading:

Apple Sues Nexus One Maker HTC Over iPhone Patents

Apple Sues HTC [Complete Court Filings]

Why HTC, Apple? And Why Now?

Apple vs. Google: Game On

What, HTC Worry?

HTC May End Up Bringing Knife to Apple Gun Fight

HTC to Apple: We Built a Touchscreen Phone Before You Did

HTC to Apple: We Built a Touchscreen Phone Before You Did

John Paczkowski — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:05:51 +0000

The surprise HTC expressed earlier this month at being sued by Apple has finally turned into something a bit more substantial: “strong disagreement.” The company issued a statement this morning denying Apple’s allegations and vowed to fight the lawsuit. The gist: HTC has been making phones far longer than Apple, including a touchscreen device called the XDA (right) that predates the iPhone by about five years.

“HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible,” HTC CEO Peter Chou said in the statement.

“From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone,” Chou continued. “In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.”

The statement continues with a list of HTC’s technological firsts:

First Windows PDA (1998)
First Windows Phone (June 2002)
First 3G CDMA EVDO smartphone (October 2005)
First gesture-based smartphone (June 2007)
First Google (GOOG) Android smartphone (October 2008)
First 4G WiMax smartphone (November 2008)

The implication here seems to be that these “firsts” somehow negate Apple’s (AAPL) claim that the company violated 20 of its patents. And while it’s certainly possible that this is the case, it’s hard to accept HTC’s argument without a list of patents to back it up. Harder still when HTC says nothing about its legal strategy for dealing with Apple’s assault.

Does HTC plan to countersue? Does the company have IP of its own with which to mount a defense? Or will it simply take Apple to the mat with its “strong disagreement” and toothless positioning statements like the one above?

Interesting to contrast HTC’s response to the Apple’s suit to Palm’s (PALM) immediate and aggressive riposte to Apple COO Tim Cook’s comments about companies that infringe on its iPhone intellectual property:

“Palm has a long history of innovation that is reflected in our products and robust patent portfolio, and we have long been recognized for our fundamental patents in the mobile space. If faced with legal action, we are confident that we have the tools necessary to defend ourselves.”

UPDATE: In an interview with Reuters, Jason Mackenzie, vice president for HTC’s U.S. business, said HTC plans to issue a formal response to Apple’s claims in a matter of weeks. He did not say what form that response will take.

Further Reading:

Apple Sues Nexus One Maker HTC Over iPhone Patents

Apple Sues HTC [Complete Court Filings]

Why HTC, Apple? And Why Now?

Apple vs. Google: Game On

What, HTC Worry?

HTC May End Up Bringing Knife to Apple Gun Fight

One Obvious Question for HTC CEO Peter Chou at D8: How About Them Apple (Patents)?

Kara Swisher — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:15:20 +0000

Before Apple lobbed a patent infringement lawsuit at Taiwanese handset manufacturer HTC yesterday, we were lucky to get its CEO, Peter Chou, to agree to appear at the eighth D: All Things Digital conference in June to talk about its work making smartphones for Google and others.

That interview with Chou (pictured above) obviously got a whole lot more interesting with the epic legal action by Apple (AAPL) alleging that HTC infringed some 20 patents related to the iPhone’s graphical user interface, underlying architecture and hardware.

Wrote Digital Daily’s John Paczkowski:

“The company is asking for a permanent injunction barring HTC from importing or selling infringing phones in the U.S., along with triple damages and maximum interest.

‘We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We’ve decided to do something about it,’ Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in a press release announcing the action. ‘We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.’”

HTC denied the allegations, not surprisingly, and was backed up in a statement of support by Google (GOOG). That is also not a surprise, since its Android operating system, which is in the HTC-made Nexus One phone, is mentioned prominently in the lawsuit.

Whatever happens, it all makes for what is likely to be a head-spinning technology rumble over the next months and underscores how important the burgeoning mobile arms race and the fight over innovation will be.

Until we get Chou in an onstage interview at D8 to talk about this and much more, here is a video of MediaMemo’s Peter Kafka talking about yesterday’s Apple action on the new Digits Live Show on WSJ.com:

[ See post to watch video ]

One Obvious Question for HTC CEO Peter Chou at D8: How About Them Apple (Patents)?

Kara Swisher — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:15:13 +0000

Wrote Digital Daily’s John Paczkowski:

“The company is asking for a permanent injunction barring HTC from importing or selling infringing phones in the U.S., along with triple damages and maximum interest.

Android Invasion

John Paczkowski — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:00:08 +0000

[ See post to watch video ]