The European launch of the "Facebook phone" has been delayed following disappointing US sales and negative feedback.

The HTC handset runs Facebook's enhanced Home software, designed to be more integrated into the smartphone than a normal app.

UK mobile operator EE confirmed that "following customer feedback" the Europe launch had been stalled.

It follows a raft of high-profile employee departures from HTC.

In recent months, chief product officer Kouji Koudera, Asian chief executive Lennard Hoornik and the firm's director of global communications Jason Gordon have all departed.

Five other senior figures have also left the company.

Signs of discontent were played out in public when Eric Lin, an ex-HTC product strategy manager, tweeted: "To all my friends still at @HTC - just quit. Leave now.

"It's tough to do, but you'll be so much happier, I swear."

Mr Lin had left HTC in February to join Microsoft-owned Skype.

Despite being one of the industry's top players several years ago, the smartphone maker's market share has fallen sharply and its income fell to the lowest level in eight years towards the end of 2012.

Read it from the source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22654037