5-inch 1080p displays set to become the norm in 2013

5-inch 1080p displays like the one present on HTC’s J Butterfly will become the norm in 2013, according to Barclays. 

At present 1080p displays are rare, giving HTC something of a USP within the Android space but as we move through 2013 this uniqueness will fade as competition increases, namely from Apple and Samsung.  

Barclays suggests HTC will have a three to six month lead on other Android players but will quickly lose ground once the display technology becomes standardised, which it expects to happen in mid-2013. 

We reported earlier today that LG is already prepping its follow-up to 2012’s Optimus G, which is said to feature Android 5.0 and a 1080p display.

HTC will have a very small window of opportunity to push their new flagship devices before competitors offer similar or better products in the same markets, reports Android Headlines. 

Barclays predict that HTC will ship 8.8 million smartphones in Q1 of 2013 – a significant increase over the company’s projected Q4 results. Growth will be fuelled by demand for high-end devices with 1080p displays but is unsustainable in the long run, according to the report. 

Barclays cite Samsung and Apple, as well as other Android players like Sony and ZTE, as HTC’s biggest concerns for the second half of 2013. Some things never change.