HTC bets the farm on ‘M7’ smartphone for 2013

HTC is reportedly banking on one of its new smartphones, said to hit the market in 2013, to turn the company’s luck around. The phone in question is being labelled as the ‘M7’, which is presumably a working codename.

The news comes via Focus Taiwan, which says the M7 will launch in Spring 2013 as the company’s new flagship. It also reports that HTC is preparing its suppliers to produce between four and five million components specifically for the M7 for 2013’s first quarter.

It’s a risky manoeuvre, not least because critical reception of HTC’s most recent offerings has been largely positive, and yet they’ve still failed to sell well.

HTC is in the habit of making good quality phones but selling very few of them, in part due to a lack of any significant marketing presence, particularly in the UK.

Indeed, it was recently announced that HTC has been usurped by Sony as the UK’s second leading smartphone maker. The top spot remains Samsung’s territory.

However, we've also heard reports that HTC has had a bit of an execuitve reshuffle, meaning there's a new strategy and a new marketing head. Hopefully this can change the company's fortunes.

What is also not clear is whether the M7 is an entirely new handset or simply the codename for one we’ve heard of previously.

Could this be the 5-inch 440ppi SLCD3-equipped handset which will introduce the Japan-facing J Butterfly’s incredible display technology to an international audience? If so, will it be the HTC Deluxe, or will it have a different name?

Maybe even a Google Nexus branded device?

Perhaps instead it's a Windows Phone 8 handset, possibly the HTC Titan 3.

So many questions, but absolutely nothing substantial to go on - for now - we’ll be sure to bring you any more new on this mysterious device as we hear it.