Two former HTC executives have big plans after having quit HTC earlier this year. Michael Coombes, former head of U.K. and Ireland sales for HTC, and James Atkins, the company’s U.K. marketing chief, announced on Monday that they are launching a startup smartphone company called Kazam that looks to deliver devices with “stunning design, robust hardware and intuitive technology, underpinned with improved customer service.” The executives left HTC as part of a mass exodus in March. Coombes will serve as Kazam’s chief executive, while Atkins will lead the marketing division.
“There is a real opportunity for a new mobile brand to disrupt the status quo,” Atkins said, according to CNET. “We are passionate about delivering a truly positive mobile experience that doesn’t just stop once you’ve bought the phone.”
Kazam will focus on creating smartphones, presumably running the Android operating system, for the European market. The company faces an uphill battle, however. Larger brands such as HTC, which have more resources available to them, continue to struggle in the saturated mobile market.
“Kazam’s dynamic structure and focus on local markets means we can react quickly to the ever-evolving and diverging needs of today’s consumer,” Coombes said.
The executives explained that their smartphones will remain supported even after the customer purchases them, unlike larger companies which often neglect older devices and fail to update them. Kazam promises to launch a line of smartphones in Europe later this year.
