Microsoft Announces Windows Phone 8 Launch Plans

This morning in San Francisco, Microsoft detailed in full its retail plans for Windows Phone 8 in the US, including availability information and select pricing details for particular models starting with the Nokia Lumia 920.

The Nokia Lumia 920 features a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 4.5-inch 1280×768 display, and 32GB of storage. The phone has a PureView-branded 8.7-megapixel camera, a 2000mAh battery that gets 9 hours of talk time and can charge wirelessly through an optional wireless charging pad, with a polycarbonate body that comes in six colors with a glossy or matte finish.

The HTC 8X also features a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor as well as 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Its screen measures 4.3 inches at 1280×720 resolution, and an 8-megapixel camera with an f2.0 aperture lens is on its back as the main camera, with a 2.1 megapixel camera on the front. The 8X’s battery is 1800mAh.

Microsoft also debuted the Samsung Ativ S at its Windows Phone 8 launch event. The Ativ S includes a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, either 16 or 32GB of internal storage, a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, a 2,300mAh battery, and NFC hardware. A different version of the Ativ, named the “Ativ Odyssey”, is due out in December on Verizon as a carrier customized version of the international version.

AT&T is the exclusive carrier for the Lumia 920 and 820 in the US, while the 16GB HTC 8X is set to debut on AT&T and Verizon by Thanksgiving for $199, as is the Lumia 822 on Verizon for $99. T-Mobile will have a Nokia Lumia variant dubbed the Lumia 810 for $99 and the 16GB HTC 8X for $149 by November 14. Microsoft confirmed that AT&T will get the Lumia 820, 920, and HTC 8X in November, but did not set a specific date  All of the aforementioned models will be sold through Microsoft’s retail stores in all announced color variants, though Microsoft has not specified whether it will offer both carrier-subsidized and unlocked models simultaneously in stores and online.

Microsoft also used the event to finally confirmed availability details for its long-awaited Windows Phone 8 SDK and related software tools for independent developers. After months of seemingly non-committal answers on availability, the SDK and tools will be made available starting tomorrow for free. The launch and retail availability will begin this weekend worldwide.