It seems that 2013 may indeed be the year of the phablet, as more manufacturers appear to be releasing plus-sized smartphones. For example, LG this year gunned directly for the reigning phablet champ, the Samsung Galaxy Note II, with the 5.5-inch Optimus G Pro, while Samsung itself seems set to fire back with not one but three new successors to the Galaxy Note crown.
HTC, meanwhile, has remained relatively quiet, but new reports from the country's homeland suggest the manufacturer is ready to compete in this size category.
Remarkably, these reports suggest the rumored device, dubbed the HTC One Max, will blow past the current 5.5-inch standard to weigh in at a pocket-expanding 5.9 inches. HTC, for its part, has validated these rumors somewhat with the release of a teaser video to match a simple tweet from the company's official Twitter account that reads "Big Things Ahead." This message also appeared on the official HTC Instagram account.
Meanwhile, HTC's teaser video doesn't give much more to go on, featuring only a helicopter landing and a man, suggested to be Robert Downey Jr. by The Next Web, getting out and walking away with his back to the camera. Indeed, it does seem to be the actor, who signed a two-year global marketing contract with HTC in June worth $12 million.
Another phrase being thrown around in this marketing blitz is "Here's to Change." Some speculate that this refers to HTC wanting to mark a new path for itself and gain momentum after struggling recently in the smartphone space. That said, it could also be a direct jab at the fact that Samsung has dominated the phablet segment since the launch of the original Galaxy Note.
Either way, HTC will have its hands full in taking on its Korean rival which, aside from enjoying a much stronger position in the market, seems to have covered all its bases by suggesting the release of 5.5, 5.7 and six-inch versions of the Note III.
Edited by
Alisen Downey
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