The One A9 is the start of a fashionable phase over at HTC

A couple of days ago, HTC unveiled its new One A9 smartphone, which marked quite a few changes from the company’s long running One line-up of products. As well as new hardware and software features, the HTC One A9 is also a change in direction from a design standpoint, which sounds like it will become the norm for future HTCdevices.

HTC North Asia President Jack Tone said today at the Taiwan launch of the One A9 that its new design language will be extended to the company’s future premium M series of smartphones, along with the affordable Desire range. HTCis pinning hopes on a more fashionable look for both its high-end and mid-tier devices, to help turn around its dwindling smartphone revenues.

“Starting with the One A9, our design language will enter a different and fashionable phase,” – Jack Tong, president of HTCNorth Asia

HTC has been struggling to maintain sustainable profits for a number of quarters and recently crashed out of the TWSE 50 Index. The company posted a quarterly loss of NT$4.48 billion ($138 million) in Q3, after revenue fell to just NT$21.4 billion ($658 million) from NT$41.9 billion ($1.29 billion) in the same period a year earlier. Despite featuring competitive hardware, many believe that similarities between the One M8 and M9 meant that the handset failed to grab consumer attention. Perhaps this is the issue that HTC’s smartphone redesign plans aim to address.

Do you believe that HTC’s focus on features and design over raw performance with the One A9 will win over consumers?