HTC

On Wednesday, HTC held a launch event. It was widely assumed that this event would mark the release of a new HTC smartwatch. According to Re/code, the wearable was not ready, and thus the launch of the watch was pushed back. HTC Americas head Jason Mackenzie told Re/code:

We had originally planned to have a wearable launch in this time frame…It ended up just not being ready.

We’ve seen a lot of general purpose wearables come to market…There’s not a strong reason to wear one every day. When we come to market with our product we want to make sure the product has a strong point of view and there is a really compelling reason to strap it on your wrist.1

Though the smartwatch was pushed back, HTC did release a new product. Here is the HTC Re Camera:

Re HTC

Here is a look at the specs of the blind camera:

High Resolution Optical Sensor

16MP sensor shoots 1080p 30fps HD videos

Long-Lasting Battery Power

820 mAh battery is enough for 1,200 photos, or 1hr 40 minutes continuous
FHD video recording

Expandable Memory

32MB ROM/256MB DDR RAM with microSD

Waterproof Construction

Rated IPX7, no case required

Easy Connectivity

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) with microUSB port2

This device seems a bit odd, at least coming from HTC. Perhaps the best view of the Re Camera comes from The Verge’s Vlad Savov:

The Re Camera is silly, both in its price and appearance. It’s waterproof, it’s wearable, it captures high-resolution photos and Full HD video, but at $199.99, it struggles to compete with better GoPro alternatives. HTC’s immediate response is to say that this camera isn’t for the same class of user, but that’s not how people buy their gear. They go on brand recognition first, which the $200 GoPro Hero3 has in spades, plus there’s the basic $129.99 GoPro Hero that lacks only Wi-Fi. HTC’s lunch has pretty much been eaten before it’s been served, but even taking the company’s claim that the Re Camera is different enough to carve out its own niche, how big of a niche is it?3

 

  1. Ina Fried, Re/code, “HTC Postpones Planned Wearables,” 7 October 2014  
  2. HTC Re Camera Product Page  
  3. Vlad Savov, The Verge, “HTC is lost, and this blind camera isn’t helping,” 9 October 2014