HTC to enter the Myanmar market with six phones

HTC has announced that it will start selling six of its smartphones in Myanmar (Burma) with an intuitive, Myanmar language onscreen keyboard which will offer predictive typing. While a native language keyboard may not seem like a huge deal, HTC has worked closely with a local software company to develop the keyboard since there has been disagreement for years on how to apply an international standard for language symbols called Unicode.

According to HTC CEO, Peter Chou, the company’s efforts should pay off and give HTC a huge advantage over other smartphone makers who have already launched products in Myanmar.

“You don’t have to spend two months to learn how to type it. You just type it. We want to give people here a computing device they don’t have to learn. They just try it, they just use it, they just get it.”

The first six devices scheduled to launch in Myanmar include the HTC Butterfly, HTC One X+, HTC One X, HTC Desire X, HTC Desire VC and HTC Desire C. While other competitors have already launched smartphones in Myanmar, HTC is the first to offer high-end devices.

According to World Bank, Myanmar’s mobile penetration rate in 2011 was only 3 percent, the lowest in the world.  With a population of over 60 million, there is huge potential for HTC to stand out and become a leader in the smartphone sector. It’s doubtful that Myanmar will be an important market for HTC in the coming years, but the company seems dedicated to bring its handset to as many nations as possible.

Source: ZDNet