As word spreads like wildfire across the tech web that one of Google's most popular, yet underrated applications, Google Reader, is getting the ax come July 1st 2013, competing RSS readers/news aggregators like Flipboard, Pulse, Feedly, and Press are popping bottles. Ironically, you may be reading this through Google Reader, and I just punched you in the stomach. Sorry.
However, it occurred to me that a certain flagship device on the horizon may have an opportunity here like none other. One of the primetime features of HTC's newly announced hero device, the One, is BlinkFeed, which is essentially a news aggregator like Flipboard built into the platform right on your home screen. Granted, it's no Google Reader by any means. It might not be as robust as Flipboard either, but HTC has hinted that more functionality will be coming down the road, including the ability to customize your feed with your own sources. HTC already has major partners lined up to provide content you can access without launching an additional application.
If HTC is smart, they will capitalize on the loss of Reader. Who knows? Maybe they saw this coming. Some people may hate the idea of BlinkFeed, and its departure from the "pure Android" experience, but HTC might have just been given an assist by Google to justify this new feature. If it can get its ducks in a row, this will just help HTC's marketing efforts.
What do you think? Can HTC use the pending death of Google Reader to its advantage, and push BlinkFeed as a selling point for its new hotness, the HTC One? What will be your new aggregator of choice?
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