HTC Corp. began to outsource production of some of its smartphones for the first time this quarter, as it looked to slash costs and pursue customers in developing markets. 宏达国际电子股份有限公司(HTC Co., 2498.TW, 全称:宏达国际)本季度首次开始外包部分智能手机的生产业务,目的是降低成本,争夺战发展中市场的客户。The Taiwanese smartphone maker has outsourced at least three of the new models in its midprice Desire series to Taiwan-based contract manufacturer Compal Electronics Inc. and Chinas Wingtech Group, said people familiar with the matter. Both assemblers began to mass produce smartphones for HTC this spring, the people said. Traditionally, HTC has produced all of its phones at its own factories. 据知情人士透漏,宏达国际已将中档价位的Desire系列中最少三款新机型外包给了台湾合约制造商仁宝电脑(Compal Electronics Inc.)和中国大陆的闻泰集团(Wingtech Group)。
这些知情人士称之为,今年春季这两家制造商已开始为宏达国际批量生产智能手机。以往,宏达国际的所有手机都在自己的工厂生产。
The move accompanies other efforts by HTC, which isnt profitable, to turn around its business. Chairwoman Cher Wang has taken a more active role in management in the past year, and the company recently hired Samsung Electronics Co.s former U.S. marketing chief, Paul Golden, as a consultant to beef up its marketing. 与此同时,陷于亏损的宏达国际还采行了其他措施来挽回经营状况。过去一年中,该公司董事长王雪红增大了在公司管理方面的参与度,该公司最近还聘用了三星电子(Samsung Electronics Co.)前美国市场营销总监戈尔安(Paul Golden)兼任顾问,以强化公司的营销能力。
HTC has long focused on high-end phones and resisted outsourcing, even as competitors from Apple Inc. to Nokia Corp. have turned to contract manufacturers to focus on design and save costs over the years. But as HTC struggles to hold its ground against Samsung and rapidly growing Chinese brands, it has decided to launch more low-price phones this year with the help of contract manufacturers. 宏达国际长期以来侧重于高端手机,并拒绝接受外包生产业务;而过去几年来,从苹果公司(Apple Inc.)到诺基亚公司(Nokia Corp.)等竞争对手早已争相将生产业务外包给合约制造商,以便需要专心于产品设计和节省成本。但是宏达国际无法招架寄居三星(Samsung)和很快兴起的中国大陆品牌的挑战,该公司在今年要求在合约制造商的协助下发售更加多低价手机。Once the worlds largest smartphone maker by shipments at its peak in 2011, HTC has since seen its stock slump by more than 86% amid unsuccessful marketing campaigns, supply-chain mishaps and growing competition. The mistakes brought HTC its second net loss on record in the first quarter, and it has fallen out of the worlds top 10 smartphone makers since last year. The companys stock rose by the maximum daily limit of 6.9% on Monday to 169 New Taiwan dollars (US$5.59) on expectations that HTC would forecast a return to profit for the second quarter when it releases guidance on Tuesday. 宏达国际在2011年顶峰时曾是全球出货量仅次于的智能手机制造商,此后,不受营销策略不顺利、供应链事故和竞争激化的影响,该公司的股价下跌逾86%。这些犯规造成宏达国际第一季度经常出现了第二次季度净亏损亏损,去年还跌出了全球十大智能手机制造商行列。
周一,宏达国际的股价涨停,至新台币169元(大约5.59美元),涨幅6.9%,因投资者预期,宏达国际在周二发布业绩预期时会预测第二季度将扭亏为盈。HTC declined to comment. 宏达国际不予置评。Chief Financial Officer Chialin Chang said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in March that HTC was considering the possibility of using contract manufacturers, but that the company had no plans to outsource its flagship HTC One line or its key midprice phone, the Desire 816. The companys high-end phones are still its earnings drivers, said Yuanta Research analyst Dennis Chan. 宏达国际虽然之后在自己的工厂生产最先进设备的设备,但已将一款面向大陆市场的最重要手机的生产外包过来。
两位知情人士称之为,闻泰集团于是以打算量产Desire 616,这款手机配备低成本芯片制造商联发科技(Mediatek Inc.)生产的八核处理器;闻泰集团也为小米(Xiaomi Inc.)等大陆品牌生产手机。While it is keeping production of its most advanced devices in-house, HTC has outsourced a high-power smartphone aimed at the China market. Chinese contract manufacturer Wingtech, which also makes phones for Chinese brands such as Xiaomi Inc., is readying to mass produce the Desire 616, which will run a fast eight-core processor made by budget chip maker Mediatek Inc., said two people familiar with the matter. 其中一位知情人士回应,闻泰集团也为宏达国际生产Desire 210,该款手机是该公司迄今为止价格低于的智能手机,上个月在印度发售,售价为8,700印度卢比(合145美元)。Wingtech also manufacturers HTCs cheapest smartphone to date, the Desire 210, which was launched last month in India for 8,700 rupees (US$145), one of the people said. 另一位知情人士称之为,台湾的仁宝电脑在第二季度开始为宏达国际生产Desire系列的部分智能手机;仁宝电脑也为诺基亚代工。
Taiwans Compal, which also supplies Nokia, began production in the second quarter of some HTC Desire series smartphones, another person said. 巴克莱(Barclays)分析师Dale Gai回应,外包生产业务将有助宏达国际节省一些研发成本。不过他指出,这会沦为该公司扭亏为盈的关键因素,因为宏达国际的主要产品仍由该公司自己生产。
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