Article: New iPhone May Face Fierce Competition from HTC Incredible

New iPhone to Face Fierce Competition from HTC Incredible

            by Zachary Chin

June 12th, 2010

            Apple has announced its release of the iPhone 4 to be June 24^th, less than two weeks from today. The official announcement finally gained legitimacy when Steve Jobs claimed that the iPhone 4 would have the biggest differences from the rest of its kind, suggesting that the improvements made will be well worth the wait.

            Customers eagerly await new technology such as the front-facing camera, streaming video on both Wifi and 3G networks, and a brand new physical design. The installment will likely be the last product that AT&T has exclusivity with as a network, for the deal the two corporations made has nearly run its course. Other networks, such as Verizon Wireless, are expected to vie for a place onboard the seeming unstoppable Apple bandwagon.

The iPhone 4 will be available in both white and black skins
and will have a new, thinner design.

            Yet, with the economy in its fragile state and consumers looking to save dollars in as many ways as possible, can we expect the same craze for new iPhones this summer when they will be as expensive as ever and the HTC Droid series as possible competitors?

            Verizon stores have been clearing the shelves of the HTC Droid Incredible and Droid X, and iPhone’s success has not yet hindered that of the HTC series. Though brand is an important aspect and Apple has laid claim to that advantage, the cost of the HTC smart phones is dramatically less and may hinder iPhone 4 sales when its release occurs.

Boasting well-acclaimed features and price, the HTC smart phones may not have the brand-war won, but they certainly provide a popular alternative for consumers not looking to spend money on the iPhone or switch their plan from Verizon to AT&T.  

Despite any kind of price speculation, the explosion of word-of-mouth excitement and the lighting of blogs about the new Apple product is often what drive consumer to the white-walled stores. In a recent poll conducted by zcchronicle.com in Manchester, 7 out of 10 consumers claimed that they not only are they comfortable paying more for a phone if it is an Apple product, but intend to buy the iPhone 4 when it is released.

In less than two weeks when the iPhone 4 is released, Apple hopes that the value of HTC phones will not hinder their revenue and strike and unprecedented event where enormous amount of consumers avoid flocking to the shelves of Apple stores across the nation.