Case troubles hinder HTC phone sales, darken Q3 outlook: sources

TAIPEI (Reuters) - HTC Corp is facing supply constraints on its latest smartphone, sources familiar with the matter said, piling pressure on already disappointing sales and increasing the likelihood the firm will post its first net loss this quarter. The problems with the HTC One Mini, launched in mid-July, come partly from a casing shortage arising from design difficulties, one of the sources said. Another source said consumer and telecom demand for the One Mini could not be met at the moment, even though analysts estimate that the company plans to ship only around 200,000 of the devices each month. HTC did not reply to an email requesting comment. The sources declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak on behalf of HTC. (Reporting by Clare Jim; Editing by Stephen Coates)