Verge: HTC in 'disarray', staff departures, 'disastrous' First, & production problems

[s44]

HARDWARE not software. Nobody gives a rip about whoever 'designs' just another launcher.

I don't want a heavier phone with a smaller screen just to satisfy Apple-style vanity.

 

[Bateluer]

But the HTC First didn't ruin HTC did it? Unless it consumed massive resources from developing other killer phones or resulted in HTC One shortages, I wouldn't say it hurt. If they benefited overall from the money that FB trucked in, that's fine.

Do the unsold Firsts go back to HTC or to Facebook?

 

[lothar]

HARDWARE not software. Nobody gives a rip about whoever 'designs' just another launcher.

You didn't mention HARDWARE in your original post.

And yes, I do give a rip about stupid launchers like Sense and TouchWiz.

 

[lothar]

But the HTC First didn't ruin HTC did it? Unless it consumed massive resources from developing other killer phones or resulted in HTC One shortages, I wouldn't say it hurt. If they benefited overall from the money that FB trucked in, that's fine.

I'd say they did more damage to themselves with the One X and only 16gb of storage on AT&T than the First did.

Too early to tell...

The phone doesn't necessarily have to drain resources or result in shortages.
If it leads to brand dilution, then those things might be minor or even borderline irrelevant.

Will there be some people that picked up this phone and go "I'll never buy an HTC phone again"
This phone sold 15k units...If we take the Google Play ratings for the "Facebook Home" app and use that 15k units sold as the base pint, that means only about 4k people are very happy with the phone...The other 11k people won't be.

Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen an app from a major company fail so hard. No app from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Twitter, or Apple has such low ratings.
2/5 review on the Google Play Store from a major company like Facebook? fail.

 

[Zaap]

I don't want a heavier phone with a smaller screen just to satisfy Apple-style vanity.

I don't either, but it's not like the One has a 4" screen or something. The One, at 5", with removable battery, SD card and called the Galaxy S-whatever would have been the perfect smartphone. You could pretty much stick a fork in everything else.

Meanwhile the S4 is okay design wise, but it's just boring next to a One, which is a vastly superior design. (Looks wise, maybe not everything else.) Samsung either has worse designers, or they're still cowering in "Let's crap-up our own designs so we don't anger 'the boss' Apple" mode.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Do the unsold Firsts go back to HTC or to Facebook?

they go back to htc. they should load stock android on them and sell them as "nexus 5"

 

[poofyhairguy]

What gets me is the first is the smaller Android phone everyone asks for: 4.3 but 720p, modern SoC even if midrange, stock Android.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Isn't that the Htc First?

720p, 4.3", Snapdragon 400

 

[lopri]

What gets me is the first is the smaller Android phone everyone asks for: 4.3 but 720p, modern SoC even if midrange, stock Android.

Exactly.

 

[dguy6789]

But everyone's not asking for a smaller Android phone. The only people I ever see asking for a smaller Android phone are a tiny minority of people on this forum. Every single non Android phone user I speak to(pretty much all iPhone users) say they want an Android phone because of their huge awesome screens.

 

[lopri]

I guess it goes to show the distance between "tech community" and "Jane public." But the guess is easier when it comes to who puts their money on where their mouth is. Similarly how tech bloggers who get their phones for free "review" phones.

 

[poofyhairguy]

But everyone's not asking for a smaller Android phone. The only people I ever see asking for a smaller Android phone are a tiny minority of people on this forum. Every single non Android phone user I speak to(pretty much all iPhone users) say they want an Android phone because of their huge awesome screens.

iPhone users are a bad judge because they have been punished with a small screen for so long. When both my sister and my sister-in-law considered switching from iPhones they RAN to the Note 2 due to the size. I had to sit them down and get them to reasonably consider all of their needs.

Its like a person who has wandered in the desert for weeks- if you ask them how much water they need no amount is enough.

Most of the users here who wish for a good smaller phone have all had a large non-iPhone and want what is actually the best fit for them and not what with quench their screen thirst.

 

[Crono]

iPhone users are a bad judge because they have been punished with a small screen for so long. When both my sister and my sister-in-law considered switching from iPhones they RAN to the Note 2 due to the size. I had to sit them down and get them to reasonably consider all of their needs.

Its like a person who has wandered in the desert for weeks- if you ask them how much water they need no amount is enough.

Most of the users here who wish for a good smaller phone have all had a large non-iPhone and want what is actually the best fit for them and not what with quench their screen thirst.

I always say 4.3" to 4.5" is the best range. Currently have a One and the screen size is ever so slightly bigger than I'd like at 4.7".
Same with the S4 at 5". The iPhone 5 is too small at 4". Lumia 920/928 hits the sweet spot at 4.5".

It's not that I hate having larger screens - a bigger screen is better for watching videos and for appreciating higher resolution - I just prefer for phones to have a screen size that I can use comfortably with one hand. If I have to use two hands I would rather have a 7" tablet rather than a large smartphone or a phablet. The fuss Apple made about the range of the thumb is actually true in my opinion, except I think their size isn't actually right (unless they use men with smaller than average hands, or women). Call me Goldilocks, but I really think 4.3 - 4.5" is ideal.

Some other phones in that range for comparison:
4.5":
Sony Xperia T
HTC One VX
Motorola Atrix HD
Nokia Lumia 925


4.3"
Samsung Galaxy S2
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx
HTC 8X
HTC One S
Nokia Lumia 900
Sony Xperia SL
ASUS Padfone
HTC One Mini/M4
HTC First

 

[ChronoReverse]

The thing about one hand operation is that Android has always been more friendly in that regard because the controls are generally concentrated on the bottom. The new design guidelines actually make this worse by moving some of the control elements to the top instead (e.g., the "menu" on the top right and the "slide" on the top right).

The iOS design guideline of putting "back" on the top left is even worse (and I hate it when Android apps copy it) because most people are right handed and it's placed the furthest possible from your thumb.


I don't have large hands but even the GS4 is operable using one hand most of the time. Typing is easily done with one thumb (whether swype or swiftkey), scrolling obviously is no problem and the presence of the "Menu" hardware key means I never have to reach to the top to access that function. But I still get to have a large screen for actual display purposes.

 

[cronos]

I always say 4.3" to 4.5" is the best range. Currently have a One and the screen size is ever so slightly bigger than I'd like at 4.7".
Same with the S4 at 5". The iPhone 5 is too small at 4". Lumia 920/928 hits the sweet spot at 4.5".

It's not that I hate having larger screens - a bigger screen is better for watching videos and for appreciating higher resolution - I just prefer for phones to have a screen size that I can use comfortably with one hand. If I have to use two hands I would rather have a 7" tablet rather than a large smartphone or a phablet. The fuss Apple made about the range of the thumb is actually true in my opinion, except I think their size isn't actually right (unless they use men with smaller than average hands, or women). Call me Goldilocks, but I really think 4.3 - 4.5" is ideal.

Some other phones in that range for comparison:
4.5":
Sony Xperia T
HTC One VX
Motorola Atrix HD
Nokia Lumia 925


4.3"
Samsung Galaxy S2
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx
HTC 8X
HTC One S
Nokia Lumia 900
Sony Xperia SL
ASUS Padfone
HTC One Mini/M4
HTC First

If you are focusing on one hand operation you also can't look at screen size exclusively. You also need to look at the actual dimension.

For instance, you mentioned how the Atrix HD has the sweet spot for you at 4.5", however the Xperia ZL has a 5" screen but has a similar, even slightly smaller dimension (a little shorter, though a bit thicker). You can see that the ZL has less length than the Atrix, with almost identical width, i.e. shorter reach.

Motorola Atrix HD (4.5") 5.26 x 2.75 x 0.33 inches (133.5 x 69.9 x 8.4 mm)

vs

Sony Xperia ZL (5") 5.18 x 2.75 x 0.39 inches (131.6 x 69.8 x 9.8 mm)

 

[Crono]

If you are focusing on one hand operation you also can't look at screen size exclusively. You also need to look at the actual dimension.

For instance, you mentioned how the Atrix HD has the sweet spot for you at 4.5", however the Xperia ZL has a 5" screen but has a similar, even slightly smaller dimension (a little shorter, though a bit thicker). You can see that the ZL has less length than the Atrix, with almost identical width, i.e. shorter reach.

Motorola Atrix HD (4.5") 5.26 x 2.75 x 0.33 inches (133.5 x 69.9 x 8.4 mm)

vs

Sony Xperia ZL (5") 5.18 x 2.75 x 0.39 inches (131.6 x 69.8 x 9.8 mm)

I'm using diagonal size as a rough measurement, but actually what I care about isn't physical dimensions of the body but (in portrait orientation) the height and to a lesser degree the width of the screen itself. The width of the device matters a little bit as well because of ergonomics, i.e. does it rest comfortably in the hand, but since I center the device (assuming the weight is balanced and distributed close to 50/50, like most well designed phones are) my thumb will move from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen.

Of course, most modern phone manufacturers nowadays try to minimize the bezel so that the screen size is close to the size of face of the phone, but there are exceptions like the One which makes room on the top and bottom for the front-facing speakers. That extra size doesn't bother me, but it would be nice if the screen were slightly smaller.

 

[ChronoReverse]

WTF, I was so confused with all the crono's lol.

 

[Crono]

WTF, I was so confused with all the crono's lol.

There are some more Kronos/Khronos/Chronos names on these forums. Confusing as hell.

 

[cronos]

I'm using diagonal size as a rough measurement, but actually what I care about isn't physical dimensions of the body but (in portrait orientation) the height and to a lesser degree the width of the screen itself. The width of the device matters a little bit as well because of ergonomics, i.e. does it rest comfortably in the hand, but since I center the device (assuming the weight is balanced and distributed close to 50/50, like most well designed phones are) my thumb will move from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen.

Of course, most modern phone manufacturers nowadays try to minimize the bezel so that the screen size is close to the size of face of the phone, but there are exceptions like the One which makes room on the top and bottom for the front-facing speakers. That extra size doesn't bother me, but it would be nice if the screen were slightly smaller.

Yeah, I get it. I just wanted to show an example of how a technically 'smaller phone' can have a larger screen.

I'm actually the other way around. After almost three years carrying the Dell Streak (5" screen, identical dimension with Galaxy Note II), I'm finding it quite an adjustment to do stuff with the HTC One.

I've gotten so used with doing everything two handed that now with the One I can do most of the stuff one-handed, I needed to train myself to. Typing for instance feels very awkward at first. It has less width than usual that my hands feel like it's being jammed in the middle.

 

[cronos]

WTF, I was so confused with all the crono's lol.

There are some more Kronos/Khronos/Chronos names on these forums. Confusing as hell.

C*rono* unite!!

 

[chadashcroft22]

Is it sad to say I think the big down spiral happened with the thunderbolt. Seems they where the phone to go to before it and after it nobody could trust them.

I lost all faith when they botched an update that cause the phone to reboot several (10-25 times on average) times a day. Now take the fact this smartphone had terrible battery life on top of it and it took them 3-4 months to fix this serious bug.

I was a die hard htc fan before owning this phone now I am a die hard samsung fan until they screw something up

 

[Bateluer]

they go back to htc. they should load stock android on them and sell them as "nexus 5"

They won't load AOSP on them. But, it could be a god idea for them to load Sense on them and resell them as budget phones. At least then they'll sell them for something instead of recycling them.

 

[cronos]

They won't load AOSP on them. But, it could be a god idea for them to load Sense on them and resell them as budget phones. At least then they'll sell them for something instead of recycling them.

I'm pretty sure they already have Sense as Facebook Home can be disabled.

 

[Chrono]

Hey guys... this where the party is at? I don't know if HTC is really in disarray... seems if they're going to sell the google version of the ONE with vanilla android... I think they may be on to something. How about premium handsets... with vanilla android?

 

[Apex]

WTF, I was so confused with all the crono's lol.

LOL, I had to do a double take too, originally thought it was one guy with split personality disorder. Makes much more sense now.