Samsung and HTC changing strategies for Windows Phone. We look at who wins and who loses.

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Although Windows Telephone eight is non quite notwithstanding hither, the ever-dynamic smartphone industry is again churning and at that place are some big changes coming.

Today we've seen two stories that volition both take an impact on Windows Phone--i about Samsung, the other about HTC--and nosotros'll see what that volition mean for consumers this fall.

Samsung says ba-bye to Bada

Offset up is Samsung. As some of yous may know, they accept their own homegrown OS called Bada that actually has similar marketshare number every bit Windows Phone. Trouble is, that OS is old and Samsung wants to phase information technology out ASAP. Its replacement, Tizen, is an Intel-MeeGo successor based on Linux. Similar all mobile Linux Os's, Tizen is suppose to exist the side by side-big matter only alas, it'south being delayed with no starting time devices expected until 2022.

That puts Samsung in a pickle because although they would like to exist independent with their own, unique OS they have to rely on Android and Windows Telephone to pay the bills. Now with Tizen existence kicked down the road it means they can either make more Android phones or focus more than on Windows Phone 8.

Tizen is evidently complete but the ecosystem is grime, co-ordinate to developers. So in the concurrently, Samsung may take to give us some solid Windows Phone devices. Does that mean nosotros can come across some more high-end and actually unique devices from Sammy? We're not betting on information technology but nosotros've liked the Focus S and Focus two quite a bit for Windows Phone and hope they will put their all-time human foot frontward this fall—every bit they accept more to win (and more to lose) than e'er earlier.

Will Odyessey and Marco give us what we want or will Nokia crush 'em?

HTC and the decline

We spoke well-nigh HTC quite a bit today on the podcast. The company has been in gratuitous-fall for the last xviii months, which is quite surprising. Having teamed upward Dr. Dre and Beats Audio, using those Super LCD screens (instead of the pentile AMOLEDs from Samsung) and kicking some derriere with their cameras recently, HTC appeared to be on the right track.

The 1 X make was positioned during the iPhone 4S lull and pre-Milky way S3 launch, giving the company a nice 2 months of unfettered market comeback. Despite a lofty advertisement entrada, the One Series has evidently failed to impress, resulting in a steady decline. Now with the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3, they are basically finished for the year. The OnLive matter didn't help either.

And so what will HTC do? Unfortunately their endeavor to make high-end premium handsets, akin to what Apple tree and Nokia are known for has not panned out. That means lower-price handsets are the hereafter, much like what Nokia is attempting with devices like the Lumia 610.

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HTC can make nice things

What does that mean for Windows Phone? Hard to say at this signal as likewise the fantastic 16MP photographic camera found in the Titan II, HTC has not really pushed the envelope in design or applied science. Beats Sound is being kicked to the curb—no headphones and no "Beats sound engineering" anymore—to reduce costs. We're non convinced that cheaper HTC phones are what consumers are necessarily looking for, nor are cheap, uninspired designs.

No, what HTC needs is a philharmonic of fresh ideas and some new technology. But that's easier said than done (information technology's not every bit if they didn't try with the One serial, which focused on music and the camera). Does Windows Phone eight offer any way for them to really differentiate themselves from the rest? Probably non in the style that Android and Sense did for them in the past.

Look, HTC may exist a tad wearisome these days merely we don't want to see them go nether either. The company is in trouble though and we're not sure if they're going to regain any lost momentum via Windows Telephone 8—the incentive just isn't there at this indicate. And although we'd honey to meet some killer designs from them, sometimes you tin can't teach a dog new tricks.

Only we'd similar to see HTC try, that's for sure. Devices like the Mozart, Titan (I, Two) and Radar show they still can make solid phones. Will 'Rio', 'Zenith' and 'Accord' with Windows Telephone 8 change things for the ameliorate? We'll see.

Source: Unwired View i, 2

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