[General Topics] hyunjungod@nate.com:
As many of you may know, Desire HD has been one of the most sold HTC Android OS based Smartphone in the shortest period since it was launched last year. One of the reasons for that is probably, and mostly because of its humongous 4.3” LCD screen which has been advertised and reviewed as a Super LCD (recognized as a S-LCD, equivalent to Super LCD) which is supposed to have a similar performance in a viewing angle and a battery life to Samsung’s Super AMOLED.

While I was shopping for an Android Smartphone, I was considering purchasing between Samsung’s Galaxy S and HTC’s Desire HD. What caught all my attention was Desire HD’s humongous 4.3” Super LCD screen as it was advertised on the official HTC website and many other information websites on Smartphones. So I went ahead and bought a Desire HD. I am not well educated with the Smartphone technology stuff and all so I didn’t notice the different between Super LCD and the regular TFT-LCD at first until I was outside under sunlight and was not able to tell what my phone’s screen was showing, while my friend’s Galaxy S was fully capable of showing the screen without so much trouble.

I wasn’t the only one who felt the same way and one of the consumers called HTC to inquire if the LCD screen on Desire HD is really Super LCD as advertised. What the representative said was quite shocking because it turns out that Desire HD just has the regular TFT-LCD.

A lot of consumers felt that the phone was falsely advertised and contacted with HTC about getting refunds for a false advertisement, but HTC made it sound like consumers were the ones who confused themselves by claiming that the term “Super” in Super LCD of Desire HD simply means that the size of the LCD screen is super big but not the kind of LCD HTC was advertising as a rival to Super AMOLED. Also HTC is insisting that they are responsible for neither confusions nor refunds for this incident. But there’s already a case where a wireless phone service provider promised and offered a full-refund to whoever purchased a Desire HD for a false advertisement in Denmark.

In the midst of all these problems, there was a conflict between consumers and a representative who is in a bit high position (supposedly his position is a General Manager, not just a regular normal call center counselor) at Customer Service Department of HTC Korea named Mr. Kim. While consumers were complaining about no-refund on this incident policy to Mr. Kim, he said something like.. “If you don’t like what we are offering, why don’t you just sue us?”. In hospitality industry, as a man in position of being in charge of Customer Service department, this kind of reaction should never be allowed nor present at all cost.

So with all the problems present, I’ve personally contacted HTC Taiwan and HTC Korea about the incident and asked them for an official statement to apologize for this false advertisement to current consumers of Desire HD’s in Korea to begin, corrections in advertisements of Desire HD’s, better Customer Service quality in Korea.

They denied that they falsely advertised the kind of LCD in Desire HD and all they were saying was that Super LCD of Desire HD has nothing to do with the kind of LCD screen and it just means the size is super big. They also refused to make an official apology statement. Yet, they have changed the ads, specifications of Desire HD on their official websites… and so on. It’s just cheap.

And plus, HTC’s new Incredible S has Super LCD as well and despite the 0.3” difference, the quality of two screens look awfully different. Has HTC researched and developed a new Super LCD within about half a year? Huh?

I’ve spent so many days fighting against HTC through phones, internet, emails etc just to get an official apology but it seems that I have failed to accomplish most of my goals. Maybe I was too soft on them. I’ve thought about a lawsuit but suing someone in South Korea isn’t just that easy like I would have done it in the United States. That’s why I am going on a “NO HTC Campaign” and spreading the words around the world so one day, HTC can realize consumers have powers and are not that stupid anymore to just accept what a company has to say.

Consumers have “lawful consumer rights” to know the correct information on products, be educated about consumer rights, organize a consumer organization to fight against the company, and participate to give advices to company and so on.

To this point, I’ve recommended Desire HD as one of the best android Smartphones to get and it is, I think, still true. Many people have purchased Desire HD just because they trust me that much and I’ve recommended this phone so strongly. But the quality of customer care at HTC degrades the performance of Desire HD and I really with that I would not have recommended HTC products. From this point, I am not going to buy any HTC related products whatsoever and I also am going not to recommend any HTC related products to people around me and hopefully everyone around the world.

I’m just a consumer who wanted to buy a decent smartphone with all the information I knew and wanted to be happy about it, nothing more and nothing less.