HTC Selling Sense Widgets In Android Market?
We literally JUST told you about how HTC sent a C&D letter to a developer mimicking and selling their HTC Sense widgets. We thought it was just to protect their brand but it MIGHT be because HTC themselves hope to sell the widgets in Android Market. Check out Dave’s comment (#20) on the original article:
Heeeeeeeey
I just noticed the HTC themselves uploaded 3 test apps to the App store.
Could maybe they be getting ready to sell the widgets themselves?
http://www.androlib.com/android.developer.htc-corporation-FtE.aspx
Sure enough, if you visit that link, you’ll see 3 applications from HTC Corporation:
The applications pretty much ALL have the same description with the only differences being the title and the package name. Speaking of which, take a look at the package name in the HHH Test description:
Personal Test
HHH test was developed for Android by HTC Corporation
Package name : com.htc.rosiewidgets.sample
System permissions : This application doesn’t need special permissions
Rosie Widgets? Sounds like HTC Sense widgets to me! Although if you search Android Market for the applications now you won’t be able to find them! We’re guessing because HTC promptly pulled them down but AndroLib hasn’t reflected the change. This is probably the same reason that our report of 20,000 apps yesterday was off by 4,000 apps.
Would HTC want to sell their widgets? It would provide LESS of a reason to purchase an Android Phone with HTC Sense but provide a LARGER audience with which to make a sale. HTC has formally been considered a hardware company and even with HTC Sense… they’re still largely a hardware maker but selling widgets/apps on Android Market to the masses would have them entering a new area.
Two questions:
- What do you think is actually happening here – is HTC preparing to sell widgets on the market?
- If they ARE planning the above – good idea or bad idea?