eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
AT&T and Radio Shack will reduce the price of the HTC One X to $100 on Sunday, July 29.
Radio Shack is also offering $50 off any Android smartphone priced at $100 or more, which will mean discounts for the HTC Evo 4G LTE, the Samsung Galaxy S III and S II, and the Motorola Droid Razr 4G LTE.
AT&Tdepressing schoolchildren everywheresays the July price cut is part of a back-to-school promotion.
In keeping with the trend of pocket-defying displays, the HTC One X features a 4.7-inch, 720p high-definition display covered in silky Gorilla Glass. It also runs HTCs Sense 4.0 user interface and Ice Cream Sandwichthe gotta-have version of Android at the time of the One Xs introduction, though it has since been overshadowed by Jelly Bean. Despite being more than 5 inches long, the phone, constructed of a plastic polycarbonate, feels lighter and cooler in the hand than some other devices its size.
Among the devices pushing toward 5 inches, reviewers have found the One X to be among the stronger offerings, certainly ranking in the top three.
However, the smartphone’s launch was held up in U.S. Customs as HTC and Apple battled in court over patents. It then had the bad luck of going head-to-head with Samsungs Galaxy S III, whose 4.8-inch display wasnt the only feature that overshadowed the One X.
While the HTC One X launched with AT&Tand a sibling One S found a home at T-Mobilethe Galaxy S III launched with five U.S. carriers, after debuting in 28 other countries. Samsung has since announced that its sold more than 10 million of the smartphones.
HTC has struggled to compete against Samsung’s Galaxy line, evening acknowledging earlier this year that it is refocusing efforts on China, given the intense competitiveness of the U.S. market. Meanwhile, Samsung has dominated the market, particularly benefitting from a late release of the next Apple iPhone.
During the second quarter of 2012, Samsung shipped 50.2 million units, up from 18.4 million a year ago, while Apple shipped 26 million, up from 20.4 million a year ago, and Nokia shipped 10.2 million, down from 16.7 million, IDC announced July 27.
Samsung topped the 50 million-unit mark and reached a new quarterly smartphone shipment record in a single quarter, IDC reported, adding that it remains to be seen how it will compete against a new iPhone later this year.
HTC finished the quarter in fourth positionwhich it had given up the quarter beforeon shipments of 8.8 million phones, down from 11.6 million in the second quarter of 2011 but still an improvement over its first quarter 2012 numbers.
HTCs relatively strong performance in the Asia/Pacific region allowed it to climb back up the rank order, as did the correction of its channel inventory issues, reported IDC. The companys streamlined portfolio means future share gains will be predicated upon the success of its One products.
HTC, while not offering a timetable, has confirmed that it has plans to upgrade the One X and One S to Jelly Bean, and has advised users to stay tuned for details about timing and other details.
Follow Michelle Maisto on Twitter.