Microsoft (MSFT) may have barred HTC (2498) from participating in the first wave of Windows RT tablets, but that apparently hasn’t stopped the company from gearing up for the next wave. Unnamed sources have told Bloomberg that HTC “is working on a 12-inch device and a 7-inch version” of a Windows RT tablet “that can also make phone calls.” The planned seven-inch tablet, which will be unveiled alongside the 12-inch tablet some time in 2013, will be the first small Windows RT tablet to hit the market and go head-to-head with other popular small tablets such as the Google (GOOG) Nexus 7 and the iPad mini.

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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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Less than a month after rumors of a potential TomTom acquisition swirled, Apple (AAPL) is now reportedly considering a buyout of social navigation startup Waze in an effort to improve its much-maligned Maps application. TechCrunch reported on Wednesday that “there are rumours flying around that Apple is sniffing around Waze with a view to a possible acquisition,” though the source of the rumors is unclear. A similar report was published by Israeli news site NewsGeek. Waze, which currently provides some data to Apple for use in its iOS Maps app, utilizes user-submitted data to enhance its free navigation service available for iOS, Android and other platforms. Waze CEO Noam Bardin has been vocal about the quality of Apple’s mapping solution in the past,

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