When we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One last year, we were more concerned about the HTC One. While it was a fine handset in its own right, it represented HTC’s hopes and dreams to turn the company’s fortunes around. Today, we finally learned how both phones sold, courtesy of Bloomberg.
According to data from the online publication, the HTC One M7 sold 5 million units in its first two months of availability. While that sales figure isn’t bad, per say, it was completely obliterated by Galaxy S4 sales. In its first two months of availability, Samsung sold 20 million Galaxy S4 units, four times that of the One M7’s sales. Interestingly, Bloomberg also notes that Apple’s iPhone 5 sold just as much as the One M7 did, but in a matter of five days rather than two months.
While HTC clearly aimed at the top with the One M7, Samsung dominated its Android rival with the Galaxy S name and its higher marketing budget. Given that huge budget, chances are that the Galaxy S5 will outsell the One M8. If HTC hopes to even raise a candle to Samsung and the Galaxy S5, it will need to improve its marketing/advertising efforts. It seems that the company got that memo, given the recent hiring of former head of mobile marketing at Samsung, Paul Golden.
Of course, time will tell as to how well the Galaxy S5 and One M8 will ultimately sell, but if HTC wants to begin to make a turnaround, it’s going to move a lot more than 5 million handsets.
