Leak suggests HTC may no longer build its own phones
After the underwhelming launch of the HTC U12+, you might find it surprising that HTC is planning a mid-range successor to its flagship smartphone. From what we can tell, the HTC U12 Life is still on track to launch this fall, but a new rumor claims that HTC will not actually be building the HTC U12 Life itself. According to @LlabTooFeR, HTC is working with an ODM to build the HTC U12 Life.
While there’s no indication that HTC is giving up on building smartphones itself, it seems HTC has found it to be more economical to have someone else build its smartphones rather than using its own manufacturing facilities and its own employees.
Imagine Life (Allegedly U12 Life) will be shipped with Android 8.1 on board.
Interesting fact about it, this device will be ODM manufactured…— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) August 13, 2018
HTC U12 Life rumors specs
- Display: 6-inch 2160×1080 Full HD
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 64GB
- Cameras: 16MP & 5MP dual-camera (main), 13MP (front)
- Battery: 3,060 mAh
We’re not sure how much money HTC will be saving by outsourcing the construction of its phones to another manufacturer. For now, the rumor claims that the HTC U12 Life is the only device in HTC’s portfolio that isn’t going to be made by HTC. The HTC U12+ is still be made in-house, but that could also change if sales of HTC devices continue on the same trajectory.
If the next flagship HTC device was no longer built by HTC, would that change your purchasing decision? In other words, if an HTC smartphone isn’t built by HTC, is it really an HTC smartphone?