HTC: iPhone price cut won't hurt anyone
updated 08:50 am EDT, Thu September 13, 2007
HTC on iPhone Price Cut
The recent iPhone price drop won't have a significant effect on any of Apple's rivals in the cellphone industry, according to HTC chief finance officer Hui-ming Cheng. While the cut was significant, the reality was that Apple's $399 price was still $100 to $200 more than many of its rivals after factoring in carrier subsidies, Cheng said. The executive made the remark in advance of the release of multiple high-profile phones from HTC which are likely to match or beat the iPhone in terms of price after discounts, such as Sprint and possible T-Mobile editions of the Touch. The touchscreen device has often been described as the most direct challenger to the iPhone given its touchscreen emphasis and a worldwide release.
The provocative statement comes after reports that the Taiwan-based handset maker might have grounds for a lawsuit over Apple's use of the iPod touch name based on the similarity in functions between the iPhone-based device and the Touch, which was released in Europe this spring. Apple has so far refrained from responding to either claims and has only argued that its price cut on the iPhone was an "aggressive" move to make the iPhone more affordable for the holidays.
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