Well, as if the loss of all those big names from HTC wasn’t enough, now two of them are to launch a competing range of mobile handsets.
Based on their press release (below) it looks like they’ll be branding handsets with their name which, by the way, is Kazam.
Michael Coombes and James Atkins recently worked for HTC before throwing it all in to start this new enterprise.
Michael (above) tells us that..
They’ll have a range of smartphones ready for us to look at later this year. We presume that they’ll be powered by Android.
Former HTC execs launch Kazam – the new mobile brand
Tuesday 18 June 2013, London, mobile industry heavyweights, Michael Coombes and James Atkins today announced the launch of Kazam, a new smartphone manufacturer. Coombes and Atkins both resigned leading positions at HTC earlier this year with the desire to build a new brand that really stands out in the mobile space.
“We believe your smartphone is a digital reflection of who you are, and since we are all different, it’s important that we don’t adopt a one size fits all approach. Kazam’s dynamic structure and focus on local markets means we can react quickly to the ever evolving and diverging needs of today’s consumer. We aim to provide quality smartphones that are accessible to everyone,” commented Michael Coombes, CEO at Kazam.
“There is a real opportunity for a new mobile brand to disrupt the status quo. We are passionate about delivering a truly positive mobile experience that doesn’t just stop once you’ve bought the phone. Kazam is about stunning design, robust hardware and intuitive technology, underpinned by outstanding customer service,” added James Atkins, CMO at Kazam.
Kazam will launch a range of smartphones later this year. The company has offices in Mayfair, London and will have a network of regional sales and marketing offices throughout Europe.
Noire, the London-based PR& integrated communications agency, will support communications activity across both Europe and the UK.
I can’t imagine HTC will be manufacturing their smart phones.
I wonder who will…cuz these two sure won’t be making them.
I should imagine the likes of Broadcomm, Foxconn, Huaweii will be doing the manufacturing (and those are just the big names). If I had enough money and a team of designers, it would be possible for me to release a smartphone too.
I think striking the balance between the commonly available components and bespoke components will be Kazam’s biggest obstacle in getting to the right price-point. I certainly can’t imagine that their first line of phones could compete directly with the with the likes of Apple, Samsung, HTC and Sony (and even Motorola for that matter), or at least their flagship devices, just because of the amount of time and money they can spend on the more bespoke stuff.
HTC’s camera in the One has caused them headaches, as have a few of the screens in devices of the past. I’d imagine they would have to start with a more ‘parts bin’ approach – much like some of the smaller car manufacturers, before they can compete with the big boys on their own turf.
My hope is that they’ll address some of the main criticisms of the main devices (such as battery life, for example), and come up with some novel niche ideas. If they can release a couple of devices which grab media attention because of their novel designs, it at least gives them a good grounding for devices which can actually compete with the big four or five manufacturers.