Category: Technology News

The tech company has moved the release of its wearables back as it rethinks the device after consumer testing.

HTC has announced that it will be delaying the release of its Grip wearable technology following the results of its consumer testing, as it is considering making alterations to the device so that it will serve a new purpose.

The company has decided that instead of rushing to market, it would rather ensure that consumers get what they want.

The fitness band from HTC called the HTC Grip was supposed to become available later in 2015. However, it now looks as though the wearable technology from that company won’t be released until next spring. The company explained that “After extensive wear testing and user feedback, we have decided to align Grip with the entire product portfolio for health and fitness launching later this year.”

The wearable technology may be redesigned so that it will more seamlessly fit into a broader project from the company.

The statement from HTC went on to say that “This will be a state-of-the-art comprehensive portfolio of products for this category powered by Under Armour Record.” Aside from that, though, no further details were provided by the company and anything above and beyond that point has been called speculation. There were no more answers given with regards to why the device was delayed or what changes would be made to those wearables between now and the release in the spring.

That said, reports about the company’s moves abound and it is clear to the tech industry that HTC is using this time to redirect its wearable tech intentions. This is not the first time that the company has changed directions when it comes to the design or release of its devices. Back in March, for example, it made another large turn when it broke out into other segments of the consumer electronics industry in response to a less-than powerful interest in its smartphones.

At the moment, the wearable technology in question, the Grip, is a touch display fitness band that is waterproof and that is compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems. It also has GPS built into it.

The company is seeking a new hardware partner to have a device to offer by the end of next year.

Nokia, the company that had sold its phone business in April 2014 to Microsoft, has now announced that it will be moving back into the mobile market, once more, and that it will have a new device available for purchase before two years have passed.

By late last year, it hopes to have found a new hardware partner and will be selling a device.

The company initially left the mobile market when its sales had continued a decline over several years. Microsoft now sells its range of smartphones and tablets that boast the Lumia brand. In November 2014, the company launched a tablet that is based on the Android operating system, called the Nokia N1. It used the tech, design, and logo of Nokia under license. That said, the manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and tech support were provided by Foxconn.

Now the company has announced that it is going to take a similar step into the mobile market for smartphones.

It is currently looking for a smartphone partner that will handle all of the manufacturing, distribution, marketing and customer support for its smartphone business. According to a Nokia Technologies spokesperson, Robert Morlino, “If and when we find a world-class partner who can take on those responsibilities, we would work closely with them to guide the design and technology differentiation, as we did with the Nokia N1 Android tablet.”

Morlino pointed out that it is only in this way that the “bar would be met for a mobile device” that they would feel is up to the standard of the company’s brand, and that consumers would be happy to purchase and use.

Nokia also explained that a smartphone would become available no earlier than in the fourth quarter of next year, when the company would be able to sell a Nokia smartphone under that brand name, again, because the agreement with Microsoft will no longer prohibit it from doing so.

This announcement followed only one month after Rajeev Suri, the CEO of Nokia, announced that the company was seeking suitable partners to re-enter the smartphone branch of the mobile market.