It seems like no matter what HTC does, it can"t get itself out of a rut. The company has been spiraling downwards with each smartphone release and in the past month released 1,500 employees and had its worst sales slump in two years. Sooner or later, the company may start getting desperate or maybe it already has.
A couple of months ago HTC announced its blockchain-powered smartphone called Exodus, stating that it would be a universal wallet and offer hardware support for cryptocurrencies. Now, some new details about the handset are being revealed. According to The Verge, speaking with HTC"s Phil Chen, the smartphone is slated to be announced by the end of September and will hit the market by the end of the year. As far as pricing goes, there wasn"t solid confirmation but Chen said it would be comparable to Sirin Lab"s blockchain-powered smartphone, which comes in at $999. The smartphone will be available globally but making it available in China will be difficult due to the regulations there.
You might ask why HTC is building this kind of phone. The idea for the device was presented to HTC executives when cryptocurrencies were booming. Naturally, seeing the landscape, the proposition seemed enticing. As we know now, the market has cooled off considerably, which could spell doom for the Exodus, as demand for such a smartphone might be less than enthusiastic. But on the other hand, HTC will be one of the few that offer such a device, which could make it a hit as a niche product. While the future is unknown, a lot could be riding on this device, and hopefully, the Exodus won"t cause HTC"s own departure from the smartphone business.
Source: The Verge