Well, this is interesting. HTC just sent out an alert letting us know that it'll be making a "major news announcement" tomorrow morning. The announcement will be made by HTC CEO Peter Chou via teleconference at 11:30 AM EDT tomorrow morning.
What exactly does HTC have up its sleeve? Your guess is as good as anyone's. It's worth mentioning that this pre-announcement announcement was sent around to several Android blogs, so it's probably a safe bet that whatever Peter Chou will be revealing, it'll be related to Google's green robot. Could it be the Puccini? The Vigor? An all-new Android-powered kitchen appliance that'll make you sandwiches and do the dishes? I don't know, but a good way to pass the time until the announcement would be to leave your own guesses in the comments below. Just sayin'.
UPDATE: According to a report from AllThingsD, HTC will be investing $300 million into Beats Electronics, makers of the Beats By Dre line of headphones. The deal will give HTC the right to include Beats technology into its cell phones, although HP will still be able to use the tech in its computers and the TouchPad. HTC CEO Peter Chou said that his company's first Beats-enabled device will be out later this year, although he didn't go into any further detail about the product.
UPDATE 2: And now the HTC-Beats by Dre partnership is nice and official, as HTC has sent out a press release announcing the deal. The presser says that we can expect a "a line of HTC devices integrated with Beats sound innovations" which should begin arriving this fall. At this point I wonder if there'll even be anything for HTC CEO Peter Chou to talk about tomorrow morning. The full press release is available below.
Strategic HTC investment to result in Beats-integrated HTC phones this fall
TAOYUAN, Taiwan and SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Corp., a global designer of mobile devices, today announced a strategic partnership and investment with Beats™ Electronics LLC., the company redefining the audio market with its iconic Beats by Dr. Dre™ audio experience. The two fast-growing brands will focus on bringing high performance sound to HTC phones.
"The HTC and Beats by Dr. Dre partnership is an opportunity for two world-class companies to redefine the smartphone industry and define the future," said Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Beats by Dr. Dre and chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, which is a division of Universal Music Group and a stakeholder in Beats. "For Beats by Dr. Dre, this represents a critical step in our continued mission to clean up the destruction of audio caused by the digital revolution and reengineer how sound is delivered, so the consumer feels the music the way that the artist intended."
HTC and Beats have been working together to create superior mobile audio experiences for consumers, which will result in a line of HTC devices integrated with Beats sound innovations, available this fall.
"Beats has found a unique way to harness popular culture in a manner that is unlike any other brand today," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corp. "It's an exciting brand that has been built around providing something very special, and we believe our strategic partnership will provide customers with unbeatable sound on HTC phones. We obsess over every detail of a consumer's mobile experience, and audio is a critical part of that experience."
HTC is known for unifying content, services and devices into unique mobile experiences. And Beats is known for its unique consumer brand appeal and ability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound captured in professional recording studios, allowing consumers to hear music the way the artist intended. Bringing these two great brands together will create superior mobile music and sound experiences while accelerating HTC's entry into the youth and accessories markets globally.
Beats Electronics will continue to operate autonomously — with Iovine as chairman and Luke Wood as president and chief operating officer — with its current business partnerships, including Monster Cable Products Inc., HP and Chrysler Group LLC. Iovine also will continue serving as chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records.
"Our customers have clearly responded to Beats and HTC, and Best Buy is proud to feature their products in our stores," said Brian J. Dunn, CEO, Best Buy. "We are committed to offering innovative and entertaining technologies that help consumers enhance their lives. Our customers expect that from us. The unique HTC Sense experience and the great sound of Beats provide prime examples of that focus."
About Beats Electronics LLC.
Established in 2006, Beats Electronics is the brainchild of legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records Jimmy Iovine, who set out to develop a new type of headphone with the capability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound that musical artists and producers hear in professional recording studios. For more information, please visit http://beatsbydre.com.
About HTC
HTC Corp. (HTC) is one of the fastest-growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative devices that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.
