HTC exec says there will be more Windows Phones in 2013

According to a Gartner report, HTC didn't do very well last year. Its Q3 shipments were down by a third year-on-year, and the continual decline has been worrying. However, this has not stopped the company's executives from telling us that it would still be making smartphones based on the Microsoft mobile operating system.

"We are actually fully committed to our Windows Phone business. We do have good collaboration with Microsoft for a future release this year," said Tai Ito, HTC's vice president for Global Product Planning.

"I understand that Windows Phone 8 is not as good as the market expected, we think that it could take time and we will continue working with them."

Ito further told us that we likely won't see design elements from the HTC One on upcoming Windows Phone devices, saying that the company is taking a "family approach to separation".

He added that there are likely no plans for a larger-screen Windows Phone handset (like the HTC Titan) for now, saying that while the company "wishes to have bigger displays", it needs to find the right way for consumers based on "real human data". This does seems to rule out a big-screen Windows Phone from the company in our opinion.

Given that HTC is betting big on its new flagship, the HTC One, by having only announced one handset before Mobile World Congress (it announced three last year), Windows Phone may not be a high priority compared with its Android devices.

But perhaps focusing on a growing market such as Microsoft's OS may be the better choice in a very competitive Android environment, while the numbers from Gartner do indicate slow growth in Windows Phone 8 devices, having to compete with Nokia, Microsoft's preferred partner, could be tough.

So tough, that despite earlier rumors about a new Windows Phone 8 device, LG has still not committed itself to making one, stating that it would be jumping on board only when "there's a significant market for it".

If HTC's plans to continue to nurture the WP8 market pays off, it could find itself in a position where it is back on top, similar to how it gained success in the early days of Android.

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