Things are not going well right now for HTC, which makes what are indisputably some of the best smartphones in the world. The company’s problem — apart from the fact that it thought releasing a flagship phone that’s barely an update from last year’s model was a good idea mid-tailspin — is that it simply doesn’t have the size or marketing budget to battle Samsung in the Android market.
However, it looks like things are about to take an interesting turn: Just as Samsung ripped off Apple’s iPhone to aid in its climb to the top (remember that damning 132-page internal report on how to copy the iPhone pixel by pixel?), it appears as though HTC is preparing to follow suit as it struggles to regain its footing in the smartphone market it once briefly led.
DON’T MISS: Huge iOS 9 security flaw lets anyone see your photos and contacts without a PIN – here’s how to stop it
You know how Wall Street analysts are constantly whining about how Apple needs to sell a cheap version of the iPhone lest it wither and die? Well, Apple still hasn’t come around and launched an entry-level model, and while the company seems to be doing fairly well without selling any new low-cost iPhones, HTC has seemingly taken their advice to heart.
According to several leaks, the company is preparing to launch a new low-cost iPhone of its own.
HTC’s blatant iPhone 6 ripoff was first pictured late last month, and now gadget leaker @evleaks has posted new images of the HTC Aero in six different colors. Here they are in all of their iPhoney glory:
The phone appears to completely abandon HTC’s design identity in favor of Apple’s, featuring the same exact shape as the iPhone 6 in what appears to be the same exact material. The phone will reportedly feature mid-range specs and an affordable price tag when it launches later this year.
