HTC looking at a keyboard-less future

As if keyboard wasn’t already in danger of being extinct, HTC may be looking to put the final nail in that coffin. An event was held in Seattle, where HTC’s vice president of product strategy Bjorn Kilburn, was caught saying that they were looking at making future smartphones as thin as 6mm. Now thats pretty thin! So where does that leave the future of keyboards for HTC?

HTC creative director Claude Zellweger admitted that there still was a demand for a physical keyboards, according to focus groups HTC had hosted. While this is apparent, HTC says that the need to cater to the market that wants physical keyboards stands in the way of future design principles.

“We feel that putting too much effort into that would take away from our devices.” – Claude Zellweger

In addition to that research, HTC has been able to compile evidence that consumers prefer thinner phones to better battery life. Now I can’t speak for everyone, but battery life is always something I consider whenever I decide to look for a new phone or tablet. HTC has always been under fire for their Android phones having not optimum battery life. That has usually been because they put small battery in phones that deserve 1800 Mah. Motorola has been able to prove that you can in fact have both a slim device and long battery life. DROID RAZR MAXX anyone?

How do you feel about keyboards on phones? Will you buy a phone without a keyboard or will software solutions like Swype be enough to suffice?

Source: Pocketnow

Via: Wmpoweruser