HTC to launch cheap smartphones

HTC is planning to step into the cheap smartphones segment. Last week, we said that HTC will launch 10 new phones in India in different price points. As of now, the HTC Explorer is the cheapest smartphone that it sells in India. The price in India of this smartphone is Rs 9,000.

As per the source, the manufacturer has signed a memorandum with ST Ericsson to co-develop chips that will power the devices. There is no confirmation from either of the devices regarding this move. The details about the proposed smartphones are not revealed.

Moreover, HTC is not quite happy with the Qualcomm chipsets that are used in most of its devices. Samsung and Apple have their own chipset designs but they use them to power the flagship models. HTC will be using them for the low end phones. Currently, the company is making smartphones that are powered by the Android and Windows Phone 7 platforms.

The company has been suffering from a loss in the market share and poor performance. As a result, it has stopped employing the QWERTY hardware in the phones. What do you think about this move? Will the cheap smartphones help HTC to grow its market share? What features do you like these smartphones to have? Please share your opinions in the comments section below.