First HP's TouchPad goes belly up after being out less than two months; what's next for short tech shelf life, the HTC Status, also known as the "Facebook phone"?
The phone, the first in the U.S. with a dedicated hard-key button for Facebook on it, went on sale July 17, exclusively from AT&T.
"A trusted source close to AT&T tells us the carrier is already prepping to ditch" the phone, said TechCrunch. "The thing just isn’t selling. Since the initial tipster came forward, we’ve confirmed with multiple sources that sales of the Status are considerably lower than anyone expected."
But AT&T says there are no plans to drop the phone from its lineup. A company spokesman, Steven Schwadron, said in a brief statement to msnbc.com, "I can tell you that the HTC Status is a great product and our plans for it to be part of our portfolio haven't changed."
AT&T won't share sales information on the Android-based phone. But a quick check of AT&T's HTC wireless forums area of its website shows very few comments, positive or otherwise, about the Status, with more recent attention and interest on other HTC phones, such as the Inspire and Aria.
The Status is almost retro-looking, resembling a BlackBerry of old, and that may not be helping its cause, despite its modest pricing — $49.99 with a two-year contract and minimum $15/month data plan.
Its big plus is its one-touch access to Facebook for sharing posts and photos instantly. But its timing may be too late; as a growing number of Americans shift to smartphones, particularly those that use the Android operating system, or to Apple's iPhone, they're already comfortable getting to Facebook via the handy apps on their devices.
Related stories:
- HTC 'Facebook' phone is $49.99 with contract
- HTC Status phone with Facebook button to be carried by AT&T
- HTC unveils phones with Facebook button
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