HTC One is doing better than Samsung Galaxy S4 though it doesn’t seem so outwardly. The conclusion comes from the first month sales data released by HTC and Samsung. To be more precise, the analysis differentiates “shipped” and “sold” units, explaining that people are assuming that Galaxy S4 is doing better because it has shipped 10 million units.
HTC has been battling with employee departures and the flop of HTC First, its Facebook Phone. Nevertheless, it has been upbeat about the performance of HTC One, its flagship device. Despite issues related to anodizing processes for the black version of the device and delays in obtaining parts, HTC announced that it sold 5 million units of HTC Once since its launch. Had there been no issues, the sales number would have been greater.
Coming to Galaxy S4, Samsung announced that it shipped 10 million units in its first month, but how much of the shipped devices have sold out? It is said that less than half the shipments have been sold, nowhere near the sales number of the almost-retiring iPhone 5. So, HTC One, with its 5-million sales-number is outperforming Galaxy S4 by a marginal number.
HTC One’s sales volume can be attributed to strong reviews about its all-metal profile. The iPhone 5’s main selling point has been its metal-glass design, which explains why HTC is being well received. Galaxy S4 is available on five major U.S. carriers namely, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and US cellular, whereas HTC One is offered on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, though a Verizon edition has been rumored.
Samsung is noted for leading overall Android phone sales. HTC One’s marginal outperformance may be temporary, so it may not be great news for HTC. But, Samsung will probably take it serious.