Two years ago, HTC was dominating the smartphone industry. Today, the situation is slightly opposite. With the latest software issue that lets hackers access millions of HTC smartphones, the company’s position in the market has become grittier than before.

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The guys at the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) are complaining that security parameters in HTC smartphones are not up to date. As a result, exploiters and even entry level hackers can read consumer text messages, tap their locations and listen to phone calls without any hassles. In other words, the Taiwanese cellphone maker has “failed to secure millions of smartphones”.

I would love to debate this entire issue. Frankly, I don’t have enough insider information, and technical knowledge to back up my sympathies for HTC consumers and the company itself. Was the FTC unfair to HTC when it processed the complaint against it? Was the FTC unfair when it filed a lawsuit against the smartphone manufacturer because there was a “probable” reason for a security breach?

Maybe yes; maybe no. Given that there are 18 million HTC users, with most of them having the custom voice recorder app installed in their devices, and that too without prior consent of the consumers, there’s a lot at stake. Okay, it is understandable that HTC cannot go door-to-door to ask potential owners regarding company installed software permission.

What HTC could do was make sure that its CTOs (Chief Technology Officers) properly tested the voice recorder application for current security standards. The FTC spokesperson said, and I quote it here, “HTC failed to employ reasonable and appropriate security practices”, pointing to the software flaws that recently surfaced the online security industry.

By the way, the voice recorder application is just one example. There are other apps that follow the preinstalled application criterion. They are equally vulnerable to hacks, exploits and mass scale attacks. Concerning the voice app, the Federal Trade Commission says that it could be used to tap users’ phone conversations.

In one of the complaints filed against HTC, the Commission says, HTC gave hackers a chance to “capture private details of an individual’s life.” HTC is failing to deliver high standard services. That being said, I have been a HTC customer for a long time. I am not bothered by the so-called “security flaw”. At the same time, I’ll also say that HTC needs to innovate; maybe shuffle its management a little bit.

Otherwise, the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer will go out of business against Samsung, Apple and upcoming rivals. Sally Julien, a spokeswoman from HTC said, “Privacy and security are important, and we are committed to improving practices that help safeguard our customers’ devices and data.”