HTC May Become Top US Smartphone Maker Instead of Apple

DigiTimes sources revealed this week that HTC may challenge Apple's position of the top U.S. smartphone maker.

Here's the deal: HTC has smartphones available on all four U.S. carriers, while Apple partners only with AT&T and Verizon. The HTC Thunderbolt is reported as the second most popular smartphone on Verizon's network, while Apple's iPhone is the first one. The best-selling Android smartphone on AT&T is also of HTC (The Inspire 4G).

In the Q1 of 2011 HTC took second place as the hardware seller (guess who took the first place). That makes it possible for HTC to threaten Apple's position of the leader on the U.S. market, DigiTimes reports.

"With the absence of a next-generation iPhone, and the fact that rival Motorola has been forced to postpone the launch of its 4G models, HTC has a chance to further narrow the gap in market share against Apple before the third quarter".

Earlier rumors had it Apple may also partner with Sprint and T-Mobile, but that hasn't happened yet. iPhone 5 is rumored to appear this fall, though it won't significantly differ from its predecessor.