Invite to Microsoft and Nokia even as seen on The Verge
This has to mean one thing – the day that Nokia will reveal it’s Windows 8 devices to the press. In addition, we know they have Nokia World, now an invite only partner event, in Helsinki that day.
One thing we may or may not see that day is the Windows 8 SDK. Some have speculated that may show up on or before September 7th (The day that details for the Windows Phone talk details on the Tech-Ed website are supposed to show up). I can’t see it any later as developers will need time to build apps utilizing the new features of Windows 8. Windows Phone 8 is rumored to have “real” multitasking so that may mean changes to how apps are developed.
As Microsoft only showed off the new home-screen and Wallet user features when they talked about the platform changes back in June, I am hoping to see some features we don’t know about still, and some old Nokia favorites return too – FM transmitter for example.
Whatever is there, this is the first chance to a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device and see Nokia’s involvement in creating Microsoft’s next Mobile OS. It’s also likely the first time we’ll see what really is in the Windows Phone 7.8 update – is it just the new Start screen, or will there be more? The event is taking place in New York so it seems reasonable to assume the other things we are likely to finally find out is which US carriers will get which devices.
AT&T have hogged the lions share of high end Windows phones to date, though it’s clear T-Mobile is in full support of the platform and so users there must hope they can get a high end device this time. Verizon have long been rumored to be getting a Nokia Windows Phone too and I’m sure something will be announced for each of these 3 carriers. I think Sprint users will miss out (not based on much, except how I think Sprint feel about Windows Phone in general, and I heard they had a prickly relationship with Nokia in the past). All in all, I expect more people to have the ability to get a good or high end Nokia Windows Phone without switching carriers this time around.
So for new phones, features, and carriers, on September 5th all will be revealed.
