While no specific devices have been named, it seems that Microsoft has already confirmed that their new mobile platform, the Windows Phone 7, is due to come out this year anytime from between October to December. The large release date window is expected to take into account the fact that the operating system will be used in several handsets (as opposed to the iPhone OS which is only used in Apple’s own smart phone).
This announcement comes as to no surprise as Steve Ballmer himself already made the promise as early as February. The man went up onstage at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain to give the world a preview of the new WP7 mobile platform and stated that the launch date is expected to be during the holidays for this year. With the October launch date, Microsoft is right on schedule.
In some ways, it is surprising that they are not delayed –many expected that the OS development would be facing plenty of issues with all the big features that they have promised.
OS development aside, there are already several handsets ready and waiting for the Windows Phone 7. If not several, then at least one: LG’s Panther smart phone has already been revealed in images as early as last March and the most recent pictures shown last month reveals that the handset is ready to be launched as soon as the OS is ready. The LG smart phone makes use of the type 2 chassis for WP7 which means that it will be the first Windows Phone 7 device that will come with a slide out QWERTY keyboard.
Other reported WP7 devices includes HTC’s Mondrian and a yet to be named Samsung handset which will be featuring the super AMOLED screen that was used on the wave and Galaxy S smart phones.
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