High demand leads to HTC One X+, Windows Phone 8X, Butterfly stock shortfall

Posted on 7 Jan 2013 at 11:26, by Gareth Halfacree

HTC's high-end smartphones, including the One X+, Windows Phone 8X and Butterfly, are proving rather more popular than the company expected - with the result that supply is struggling to meet demand.

Echoing the trouble Google has had keeping its popular Nexus 4 handset in stock - blamed by Google on manufacturer LG's inability to make the handsets fast enough - HTC is reportedly struggling to gather the components required to build its flagship Android and Windows Phone handsets at a rate which keeps them in stock.

According to supply chain sources speaking to industry rumour-mill DigiTimes, shortages of certain components required by HTC to manufacture its flagship smartphone products - including voice-coil motors and display films - are leading to decreasing stock in the channel, which will in turn mean that shops will run out of inventory. The shortages are believed to be part of the reason HTC has refused to launch the Butterfly, also known as the HTC Deluxe, in Europe, as component supply is weak enough that the company is unable to meet demand for the handset in Japan, let alone being able to cope with an international roll-out.

HTC has not commented on the claims, but should DigiTimes' sources prove accurate, the next few months could be difficult for those looking for a good deal on a top-end smartphone handset.