HTC says it will be back with a new tablet of its own in 2015

By Andy Boxall Published November 5, 2014

nexus 9 helpful tips and tricks google home screen — Image used with permission by copyright holder

HTC will return to making tablets bearing its own name in 2015, according to the company’s CFO Chang Chia-lin. The statement was made during a conference call at the end of October, and has been reported by Focus Taiwan. It comes soon after the launch of the Nexus 9, the so far well-received device which HTC built on behalf of Google, and its first tablet to be released in several years.

The report also quotes Jack Tong, HTC’s president for North Asia, who spoke at the Nexus 9’s launch in Taipei. He discussed the limited profitability in 7-inch tablets, particularly when the retail price is less than $170, and saw “more room for growth and product differentiation in the high-end and mid-tier tablet segments.”

Recommended Videos

This does suggest HTC won’t try to take on the Amazon Kindle Fire, or repeat the success of the Nexus 7; but instead follow the trend into which the Nexus 9 has tapped. Tablets with screens measuring somewhere in-between 8 and 10-inches have increased in popularity recently. Should HTC make a powerful, 9-inch tablet next year, it would compete with the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, the iPad Mini 3, and of course, the Nexus 9.

Returning to the conference call, Chang also said the company would “consider other co-branding opportunities,” in the future. HTC has partnered with Google before the Nexus 9, and it has released smartphones with Beats Audio branding, a deal which ended after it sold its stake in the firm.

Prior to the announcement of the Nexus 9, rumors regularly appeared about HTC’s return to producing tablet devices. At the end of 2013, the firm was linked with Windows-based hardware, and CEO Peter Chou talked about a “nice and disruptive” device around the same time, which may or may not have been the Nexus 9.

Topics

Senior Mobile Writer

Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

Mobile

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, the “king of tablets” (in 2022), is $450 off

A teenager uses his Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra on the sidewalk.

If you’re looking for great Samsung tablet deals, aim for the top and get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra while it’s $450 off right now at Best Buy. One of the best tablet deals around, it normally costs $1,100 but today, you can buy it for $650, which is a considerable discount on a tablet we once referred to as the “king of tablets.” The deal lasts until September 15, so you have a little time to decide -- but you certainly won’t be disappointed. Here’s what to know about it.

Why you should buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Back in 2022, we described the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra as a tablet “unlike any other.” It has a huge 14.6-inch screen -- bigger than some laptops offer. The sAMOLED screen has a vast resolution of 2960 x 1848 and a 120Hz refresh rate. Like the rest of the tablet, it’s built with power users in mind. Such a big size means it’s not really designed for portability, but it does focus on how it can help you work from home better. It comes with an S Pen stylus for sketching out ideas or writing notes, for instance, with power which continues to rival some of the best 2-in-1 laptops.

Mobile

Samsung quietly launched a new phone, and it’s ridiculously cheap

A render of the Samsung Galaxy A06 smartphone.

Companies routinely launch products in other countries that never see a release here in the U.S., but that doesn't mean we don't wish they did. Samsung launched the Galaxy A06 in India after it was first revealed last month in Vietnam, and it's the kind of budget-friendly phone we just don't see that often.

Priced at just $120 or $135, this phone is hugely affordable. Seriously, my current phone bill is more expensive than the Galaxy A06. It runs Android 14, has a 6.7-inch LCD display, and comes in two configurations: 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 4GB RAM/128GB storage. You can opt for light blue, black, and gold color choices.

Mobile

Samsung’s next tablet may have a big edge over the iPad Pro

Recent apps view on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve come across a few purported product renders of the next flagship Samsung tablet, along with some details of its key specs. Now, leaker Evan Blass has shared an alleged render of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra that reveals one stunning detail.

Alongside the bottom edge of the tablet, we get not one, but two USB Type-C ports. This isn't the first time we have seen this feature, but it is a fresh approach for Samsung tablets. The rest of the design — including its slim metallic shell, dual cameras, thin bezels, and notch — is carried over from its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.