HTC reportedly taking another shot at a tablet

The company -- primarily known for smartphones -- has had little success with tablets, but is apparently giving it another go.

HTC's Flyer didn't exactly light up the market.

You can't fault HTC for being persistent.

The Taiwanese company, best known for its line of smartphones, will again try to breach thetablet market, according to a report from PC Advisor, who cited a company representative. Beyond acknowledgement of another tablet in the works, the report has little other information on timing, specifications, or price.

HTC declined to comment to CNET.

Another attempt by HTC to make a splash with tablets just underscores the lure of the market, which has generated a ton of cash for Apple, but has yielded little success for basically everyone else. Everyone from Amazon to Google and Microsoft is trying their own hand with tablets. Still, the iPad remains the only true blockbuster product in the category.

HTC tried early on with the Flyer, a unique tablet that featured a smart stylus that didn't resonate with consumers. It even got support from Sprint Nextel, which rebranded it as theEvo View, but it still didn't sell well. The company also sold the Jetstream through
AT&T, but it too was barely a blip on the radar for consumers.

Apparently, the HTC Sense user interface that's popular on smartphones didn't translate as well on tablets.

HTC told PC Advisor that it wouldn't sell a tablet until it had a unique selling point. Indeed, with so many tablets coming out, the company would have a hard time setting itself apart without a standout feature.

It's unclear whether getting back into the tablet business is a smart move. HTC is in the midst of its comeback attempt, having lost its way late last year. Facing weak sales in Europe and a temporary ban in the U.S., the company was forced to warn that its profit and revenue would again fall below expectations.

Earlier this year, the company vowed to simplify its product line and focus on fewer products, resulting in the One line of products. But the phones, as with other competing products, have been overshadowed by Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S3 flagship smartphone.