HTC hits downward spiral as it cuts staff and models

Taiwanese smartphone maker suffered its biggest ever loss as sales falter under stiff competition from Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi

Struggling Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC is cutting staff and shrinking the number of smartphones it makes, as its profits nosedive.

HTC, once a key player in Android and Windows Phone smartphones, has stumbled in recent years as competition from the dominant player Samsung and smaller, cheaper rivals has cut its market share.