(This list was compiled by Rahaf Makarati for ArabNet Weekly Digest – Issue 29)

Last month Taiwan-based Smartphone manufacturer HTC overtook Nokia in terms of market value. That is why I thought I’d sum up some points about the company’s history and reasons for its success for this week’s post.

HTC was founded in 1997, by Cher Wang – Chairwoman, and Peter Chou – President and CEO, as an Original Design Manufacturer [ODM], receiving orders from third parties such as Dell, i-mate, HP, Sharp and Fujitsu- Siemens.

The company later started working under the brand names Dopod (2006) and Qtek, and then eventually HTC.

In 1999 HTC introduced the palm size PC, one year later it released the Microsoft Pocket, and in 2002 it created the first Microsoft-powered Smartphone.

While HTC currently offers both Windows Phone 7 and Android devices; its early partnership with Microsoft for their mobile OS remains the main reasons of its success in the Smartphone market.

The company’s most famous products are: HTC Touch Diamond (2008), HTC Dream or T-Mobile G1 (2008), HTC Touch Pro, HTC Wildfire, HTC Desire, HTC Legend, HTC Smart and HTC Touch Pro;

I’d like to end my post with 6 key factors for HTC’s success:

1. Innovation: investing heavily in future technologies is key to the company’s sustainability.
2. Uniqueness: placing special emphasis on innovative design.
3. Design: creating unique and functional devices both in terms of hardware and software, namely its user interface TouchFlo 3D & HTC Sense.
4. Employee management: allowing employees freedom to explore their talents.
5. Partnerships: Striking strategic partnerships with other industry players like Microsoft & Google.
6. The vision and value of the female gender: Cher Wang (cofounder).