HTC is currently caught between a rock and a hard place – Chinese OEMs like ZTE and Huawei are killing it in the low-end while Apple and Samsung are dominating the higher end of the spectrum like no one’s business. Unlike some other companies in the business, HTC has acknowledged it faster than analysts and industry “pundits” could point it out to them. Not only is HTC focusing on launching fewer devices, it is also looking at differentiating its offerings via content and partnerships, like last year’s investment in Beats Electronics.After yesterday’s rumor of HTC bringing Sony PlayStation certified games on its smartphones, GigaOm today reports it is also planning to launch a music streaming services. This does not really come as a surprise to us, considering HTC was rumored to be in talks with Spotify last year (apparently the talks fell through) and had also launched a video/movie streaming service called Watch on some of its smartphones. However, Watch, like Sony’s attempts to bring its movie catalogue to XPERIA smartphones, did not really do much for HTC and is yet to be launched commercially in most markets.

GigaOm is hearing things might be different this time around as HTC has tapped none other than its partner Beats Audio’s Jimmy Iovine to get the music story right and might even be in a position to make an announcement at MWC later this month. HTC is hosting a press conference on February 26 in Barcelona. Iovine has a tall standing in the music industry and shares good relations with audio labels, making it more likely to succeed. Whether HTC can pull it off is a different story all together, we are just glad they are doing everything they can to get back on the right course rather than being a prude and rowing along in the same direction hoping to sight land.

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