HTC A9 (Aero) and Butterfly 3 may be outed at September 29 event

The last time HTC teased a smartphone unveiling event, we assumed it would be for the much-rumored A9 (codenamed Aero), which is supposed to be the ailing Taiwanese manufacturer's next high-end offering. Instead, the 'big' reveal yesterday was the decidedly mid-range Desire 728. And so the A9 still isn't official.

That could all change on September 29, however. HTC has started sending press invites for an event on that day, which will happen in its native Taiwan.

The invite mentions something along the lines of "dual flagships", which means we may in fact see not one, but two smartphones getting unveiled on that occasion.

Taiwanese media speculation has it that the Butterfly 3 will certainly make its debut, and it might be joined by the ever-elusive A9. That's not a given, though, as we may also see anM9+ with an enhanced camera. This is an intriguing prospect since absolutely nothing about such a device has been leaked so far. It's now rumored to get optical image stabilization and faster focusing.

As for the Butterfly 3, it's expected to hit stores in Taiwan sometime in October for around TWD 20,900 ($637 or €570 at the current exchange rates). This price would be in line with that of its predecessor, the Butterfly 2. The Butterfly 3 should make its way to Japan too.

Source (in Chinese) | Via

HTC is no longer part of the TWSE 50 stock index in Taiwan

HTC is no longer part of the TWSE 50 stock index in Taiwan. Going forward, the troubled Taiwanese manufacturer will be part of the Mid-Cap 100 Index. The latter is smaller and features 100 companies, compared to 50 in the TWSE 50 index.

A decline in the sales of high-end smartphones, including HTC One M9 has caused the manufacturer’s market cap to tumble. HTC has seen its shares drop by roughly two thirds over the past several months.

In order to deal with its financial woes, HTC has opted to sell its Shanghai factory, as well as cut 15% of its workforce worldwide. The company is also trying to diversify its product portfolio by venturing into virtual reality with the Vive headset, as well as fitness trackers in partnership with Under Armour.

The removal from the TWSE 50 index might cause the HTC stock price to drop further, because foreign investors are not keen on investing in stocks out of the aforementioned main index. Currently, HTC’s market capitalization is lower than its cash deposits.

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Nokia N1 to finally escape China, Taiwan gets it first

The Nokia N1 tablet, which was launched back in January this year and was only available in China (where it has been selling like hotcakes), will finally be made available in other markets.

The Finnish company (the partthat wasn't sold off to Microsoft) introduced the Android tablet in Taiwan, where it will be available for purchase starting next month, and will set you back TWD 8,190 ($269).

The N1 is expected to be made available in other Asian countries, although it isn't yet known when. Also, it is least likely that the slate will be launched all over the world, especially in the US.

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HTC One M9 hits the shelves in Taiwan tomorrow

Taiwan, HTC's homeland, will be the first country to get the new HTC One M9. HTC will be launching the flagship tomorrow - March 21 - and it will be available in both 32 and 64GB flavors. Not all color option will be available initially though - only the Gunmetal Gray and the Silver/Rose Gold will make it to the stores on March 21, while the Amber Gold is scheduled to kick off later in April. There is no word on the Pink/Gold paintjob.

The 32GB HTC One M9 will cost TWD 21,900 or €650, while the 64GB model is priced at TWD 23,900 or €710. The European prices should be about the same.

HTC US has already announced the One M9 availability for the States - it will be released on April 10, the same date the Galaxy S6 launches globally. The US pricing and carrier options are yet to be detailed though.

HTC One M9 packs a 5" 1080p display, runs on Snapdragon 810 chip and features a new 20.7MP rear camera with 4K video recording. There are also 32GB expandable storage, 3GB of RAM and a 2,840 mAh battery. The all-metal One M9 introduces refined design with dual anodized, scratch-resistant coating and sapphire glass on the camera lens.

Source | Via