Beats Audio streaming music seems ever more likely on the next HTC EVO
Last month, we reported that HTC may decide to launch a streaming music service that will be preinstalled on upcoming devices, like the next HTC EVO. And now this seems ever more likely, given recent reports that Beats Electronic – in which HTC owns a majority stake – will be acquiring the MOG music streaming service.
For those of you who remember, MOG was actually one of the first providers of streaming music, before Pandora, Google Music, or Spotify came on the scene. However, right now only around 500,000 subscribers use MOG, compared to Spotify, which boasts 3 million paid users. In any case, low subscriber counts may have allowed Beats to buy MOG at just the right price.
It's not clear what Beats plans on doing with MOG yet, and it's possible that June could be too soon to include Beats-branded MOG in the next EVO. But it will still be interesting to see what HTC does with this, especially as HTC tries to differentiate itself from competitors like Samsung or Motorola.
[AllThingsD via Phandroid]
Dear HTC,
You know what would really differentiate yourself from other OEMs?
An impressionable high-res AMOLED screen, not this SLCD 2 technology.
A not slightly improved, but a significant, long lasting battery.
And fantastic, slick thin hardware.
Sincerely,
A loyal HTC customer since the beginning of Windows Mobile.
Hmmm….How about no more bloatware for products I won’t use. I will take the Beats audio, but like the article reads, who uses MOG?
I agree, it needs a better screen. Especially would like one that I can use outside!
SLCD can reach the same resolutions as AMOLED… And SAMOLED availability is really out of HTC’s hands since Samsung controls the bulk of production right now. Besides, black levels are the only huge advantage AMOLED has… Colors are usually way oversaturated and not realistic (or accurate) at all, and phones w/AMOLED screens haven’t really been any more thriftier w/battery as many would’ve predicted.
I’m fine w/SLCD as long as they’re good quality 720p panels w/good viewing angles (the EVO 3D’s display had pretty average viewing angles compared to other LCD displays, but the lenticular 3D tech probably played a role in that).
It does seem like they’re moving in the right direction with the One lineup as far as battery life, device profile, and Sense goes… I’m pumped for the thin unibody construction, should feel real solid compared to say, Samsung. I still think they’re spending too much time on software gimmicks like Beats, which is honestly adds no more value than the 3D aspect did on the EVO 3D… It’s just an overhyped equalizer, but I guess it’s good marketing.
The EVO 3D felt like a big performance jump from the EVO 4G tho, and the EVO One or w/e it ends up being might actually end up being just as great a jump despite the same number of cores, hopefully we finally get a decent camera on an EVO as well.