HTC doesn’t think too highly of the Samsung Galaxy S5
Essentially since the release of the Galaxy S just four years ago in 2010, Samsung has grown into by far the biggest Android manufacturer in the world. HTC, Motorola, LG, and the like have all been lagging behind in sales, though not necessarily in the quality of their smartphones. Apparently, though, whatever HTC may lack in market share, it makes up for in swagger. (Much like T-Mobile and CEO John Legere.)
Just a few days ago, HTC finally announced their latest flagship, the One M8. With the Samsung Galaxy S5 coming out next month, there is little doubt that consumers will be comparing the two, and more often than not choosing one as the winner. Naturally, HTC must think that the One M8 is a great device, but one wouldn’t expect them to say that it is better than Samsung’s option in so few words.
Yet, that is exactly what HTC America President Jason Mackenzie (who we’ve heard from before) did, and more, after HTC’s One M8 event. Mackenzie began by saying that HTC is a company that “invests in our customers and delivers a beautifully designed product that you can feel proud of,” something that is evident from their device’s usually premium build quality and feel. There is also a light dig at Samsung, as Mackenzie says that “Samsung is a company that’s focused on investing in advertising,” implying that the company is popular for that reason and not the quality of their devices.
However, this isn’t even the real stinger. Mackenzie also directly called the Galaxy S5 a “product built out of cheap plastic,” echoing many user’s critiques of Samsung’s hardware decisions. In contrast, he said that HTC targets customers who “want the best” instead of plastic.
Clearly, then, HTC is quite confident in the One M8’s superiority, and it is quite fun to see such a high-level official taking some shots at the opposition. It will be interesting to see which smartphone is actually better, something we won’t know until the Galaxy S5 hits the market. Even so, I already suspect that Mackenzie is right about the S5’s build quality, but we will have to wait for sales numbers to see what the consumers think.
[Business Insider]
