Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC Corporation confirmed on Thursday it is looking for two contract manufacturers in India to help the company cut costs and tap into the world’s third-largest smartphone market.
The pending plan to team up with multiple electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers in India is aimed at diversifying the supply risks given that HTC phones are complicated to assemble, said Chang Chia-lin, chief financial officer and president of global sales at HTC, at a press briefing after the company’s conference call with investors.
The new partners are expected to be finalized as soon as the second half of this year, he said, adding that HTC did not discuss the plan with Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Company but would not rule out cooperation with the company.
The executive stated that HTC’s second-quarter sales volume in India had doubled from a year earlier, with its Desire 526 mid-tier phone gaining popularity there.
In late June, Indian telecom news site ET Telecom reported that HTC had signed an agreement with contract manufacturer Global Device Network to produce entry-level and mid-range smartphones in India.
The HTC smartphones made in India will be from the Desire series, priced between 10,000 rupees (US$157) and 25,000 rupees (US$392.18), the report said.
Via: Want China Times