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Two of Taiwan’s biggest technology buffs could eventually find themselves combine as one unit. ASUS CFO David Chang revealed to Reuters that they’ve talked about acquiring HTC in the past.
The report suggests that all they’ve done is talk about it, though no actual moves were made to try and strike a deal. The CFO also wasn’t coy about leaving open the possibility that they could still be exploring a takeover, though he noted that chances weren’t that great considering ASUS prefers to make moves which foster and promote internal, organic growth rather than picking up someone else’s sloppy seconds.
That HTC has a big, red “takeover” target on its back isn’t all that surprising. The company has been bleeding money for the better part of two years now, with only a couple of narrowly-positive quarters scattered throughout.
Things aren’t going to get any better with the launch of the HTC One M9, either. The company has reportedly cut component orders by a significant margin in the wake of weak sales, and they expect to suffer worse losses than they originally anticipated in their next financial report.
ASUS, on the other hand, has a thriving PC and tablet business, an up and coming smartphone arm, as well as the luxury of being able to fall back on computer monitors, network routers and other miscellaneous tech, all of which have proven to be lucrative areas for the Taiwanese company. Would you want to see this deal go down?
If the ASUS ZenFone line is proving to be successful,the takeover (at least the smartphone part) seems pointless.
Perhaps other HTC assets make it an attractive target.
I myself would like to see the two join forces & offer a stronger front/competition to,as JohnLegere would put it,”Dumb & Dumber” (Samsung & Apple).
I’d be fine with a joint effort. I like products from both.
I actually would hate to see Asus get into the “me too” smartphone business where fortunes can be made or broken based on the whims of the big wireless operators. I’d rather see them operating as a sort of upstart rogue smartphone manufacturer and able to move rapidly. Plus, as many promises as HTC has broken, their track record for support is still leagues better than Asus which is about like Lenovo in releasing a flood of cheap devices to market that are running an older version or two of Android and are never updated.
My $, if a deal does happen, is that HTC’s fledgling VR headset and action cam business would be of more interest to Asus at this point than the smartphones. A ROG VR headset with full Valve support? Yes, please.
Though they have dipped in recent years, Asus is still one of my main choices for laptops, mobos, monitors and especially wireless gear.
I’m really starting to hate Asus mobos, just for their fugly bios.
Personally, not the end of the world. Most of what I have that isn’t HTC is made by Asus. Might be an interesting culture shift, though.
I don’t see why Asus would want HTC. I’m surprised HTC is still around.
Ask any random person on the street if they’ve heard of Asus and they’ll likely say no, or at best think they make components for electronics like PC’s. Everyone’s at least heard of HTC though. HTC has more market presence than Asus in the mobile world. HTC phones have been in phone stores for years, while Asus hasn’t been. Asus has been making retail electronics for years now, but I don’t think many people know that, at least beyond their PC offerings.
Nuuuuu!! My HTC G3!! I desire you!! See what I did there? =.3
As long as it fully supports sense
I’ve loved my HTC phones but if this is what it takes to stop anything like Robert Downey Jr or baseball players smacking phones commercials and then wondering why the market doesn’t understand them, then so be it.
I like HTC phones better, but I think Asus is a smarter company. This could be good depending on how they shuffle things.
1 billion(hope to sell) vs 1 million sold(reality check).
Absorb them and take them out of their misery… I’m hoping they can maintain the HTC identity though.
Asus buys htc keeps the htc name, makes m9+ for the USA makes a 5.5 inch m10 next year keeping uh oh protection including loss or theft, makes it waterproof, puts a 26 megapixel camera and an 13 megapixel selfie moves volume button to the left if the phone and lock button stays on right
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS PLEASE HTC NEED SOME BACK BONE
Quality control meets quality control
I say they should. Despite HTC’s recent shortcomings, they still got more brand equity that Asus in the smartphone space. And what HTC desperately needs is the financial backing to develop more innovative products. It would be a very complimentary acquisition.
This could be good, I picture HTC being their premium smartphone offerings and Asus being their cheap and midrange phone lines. The combined size could allow them to compete better and work out better deals with suppliers.
ASUS has one strike left before they’re on my no-buy list.
HTC only has a partial strike (warranty replacement died at 6 months).
Merge the two and I’ll have to figure out if the combination puts ASUS/HTC on my no-buy list, or gives ASUS more leeway.