HTC's Q3 clings to a thin profit on sluggish sales

HTC on Friday reported NT$640m ($21m) in unaudited net profit during the quarter to September 30, which, according to Reuters, beat the NT$216.23m ($7m) average estimated by 13 analysts. In the second quarter, it recorded NT$2.4bn in profit.

HTC's newest flagship the HTC One (M8) has impressed reviewers. It's followed up with a smaller sibling, the HTC One mini, and is rumoured to be refreshing its One Max handset soon. Still, when the HTC phablet launches, it will be facing stiff competition from Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

HTC also recently launched a range of Desire mid-tier flagships and, like its rivals, is targeting the selfie market with better front-facing cameras.

Despite seemingly making all the right moves, the company still finds itself being squeezed by Samsung across all price points while Chinese handset makers, most notably Xiaomi, are rising to prominence in China. Xiaomi overtook Samsung as the biggest seller in China in the second quarter, according to Canalys.

HTC's unaudited revenues for the third quarter of NT$41.86bn ($1.4bn) are the lower end of NT42bn to NT$47bn it last quarter predicted it would make.