Smartphone maker HTC expects to ship around 8.5 million handsets in the first quarter, up 157 percent from a year earlier. In a presentation on its fourth-quarter results, HTC said it expects a "relatively muted" seasonal slowdown compared to previous years, with demand still solid in Q1. In Q4, the company shipped 9.1 million phones, at an average price of USD 364 each. For the full year 2010, the company sold 24.67 million handsets, more than double the 11.71 million in 2009. HTC forecast first-quarter revenues of around TWD 94 billion, up 147 percent from a year ago, while its gross profit margin is estimated at 29.5 percent, down slightly from 30.0 in Q4.
