HTC One Release Date Delayed Due to Component Shortages, CEO Pressured to Resign

The HTC One release date has been pushed back, as the embattled phone manufacturer struggles to source enough components for its flagship smartphone.

"The handset vendor said today it is pushing back the phone's arrival of preorders in certain markets to the end of the month, with a formal rollout to other markets in April, according to a company representative," CNET writes.

"HTC previously targeted the phone to launch globally this month." The One was supposed to hit 80 countries in March.

Now the reason for the delay has become apparent: suppliers are no longer prioritizing the company. "HTC has had difficulty in securing adequate camera components as it is no longer a tier-one customer," an unnamed HTC official told The Wall Street Journal.

Poor sales last year meant HTC "changed its order forecasts drastically and frequently following last year's unexpected slump in shipments," and parts suppliers feel burned.

There's been talk lately that the impressive design of the HTC One makes it hard to produce, with some reports saying it can take 200 hours to mill the all-aluminum body. The larger, more sensitive "UltraPixels" in the camera are also difficult to manufacture.

HTC insists the delay will be as short as possible, and it says its first goal is to ship the One to customers who pre-ordered it.

"Some pre-orders started being fulfilled from mid-March -- which is why some customers already have the phone. We are seeking clarification on which models have been delayed. Some sources are suggesting that the silver models are shipping on time but that the black models are delayed. We do not have any confirmation of this," The Guardian writes.

The Wall Street Journal report also says HTC CEO Peter Chou is being pressured to step down after the debacle.

The company has been counting on the One to break back into a smartphone market dominated by Apple and Samsung, but the production delay means the HTC One will have to go head-to-head in the marketplace against the Samsung Galaxy S4.

The HTC One features a 1.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, 2 GB of RAM, a 4.7-inch 1920x1080 pixel widescreen Super LCD 3 display, a 4 megapixel "Ultrapixel" camera with enhanced low-light sensitivity with 1080p HD video, up to 64 GB of internal storage and runs Android 4.1.2.

Check back for the latest updates on the HTC One as they become available.