HTC (2498) continues to churn out one gorgeous smartphone after another but its struggles persist, proving yet again that quality alone is no match for extensive carrier support and marketing budgets that reach into the billions. As industry giants Samsung (005930) and Apple (AAPL) continue trouncing the rest of the market, HTC’s woes are seen continuing through the first quarter next year. According to Digitimes’ unnamed industry sources, HTC has already trimmed first-quarter smartphone orders and has suspended the development of several new models. The report claims that HTC’s projected shipment growth for Q1 has been cut in half as a result, from 20-30% to 10-15% sequentially. HTC did not comment on the report.

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