BIG PLANS:Asustek held ‘informal internal’ talks on the ailing smartphone maker. It forecasts a doubling of sales of its own phones and is exploring the robots business
Taipei Times
Date: Jun 13, 2015
By: Lauly Li / Staff reporter
Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) chairman Jonney Shih (施崇棠) yesterday said the company does
Asustek chairman Jonney Shih, right, answers shareholders’ questions at the company’s annual general meeting in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA
not rule out acquiring smartphone maker HTC Corp (宏達電), which last week said it might post a loss this quarter.
“We had an informal internal discussion regarding this matter [acquisition]… However, to make a decision, we need to consider [both companies’] intentions and evaluate whether it is the correct strategy,” Shih told reporters after the company’s annual general meeting.
Shih said he believed HTC was seeking and analyzing countermeasures to solve its problems, and he hoped the company would be able to turn its business around.
In contrast to HTC’s cloudy outlook, Asustek remains upbeat about its smartphone business.
Asustek CEO Jerry Shen (沈振來) told shareholders that the company is confident that annual smartphone shipments would grow to between 17 million and 25 million units from last year’s 8.5 million, backed by strong Chinese demand. [FULL STORY]