According to a report from Bloomberg, HTC has reportedly dropped its plans for a large-screen Windows Phone 8 device that HTC had planned to introduce next year to reclaim some market share from Samsung Electronics Company.
HTC is scaling back its WP8 effort because the device would have a lower resolution than competing models. Windows Phone 8 currently supports resolutions up to 1280 x 720 (720p) and 1280 x 768. HTC recently released its Droid DNA handset with a 1920 x 1080 (1080p display).
HTC’s share of the global smartphone market dropped to 4.6 percent in the third quarter from 10.3 percent a year earlier, while Samsung’s lead widened, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Industries. HTC’s share of the U.S. handset market fell to 3.6 percent from 11.6 percent, according to the data. However, last month, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said it’s selling four times as many Windows phones as this time a year earlier, helped by the new version of its software.
HTC currently offers two Windows Phone 8 handsets, the Windows Phone 8X and the Windows Phone 8S, both of which have a display less than 4.7-inches.