2012 is the year that Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system will start to make its presence felt.
Several manufacturers are poised to release LTE-compatible handsets featuring Windows Phone in the first half of the year, and all will debut on AT&T's wireless network, according to a SuperSite blog source. The Nokia Ace, Samsung Mendel and HTC Radiant all are said to get a shout out at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in January. The Ace is expected to drop on March 18, 2012. We may learn more about release dates for the other two at CES.
While little is known about the Mendel or the Radiant, look for a 4.3-inch display on the Ace, along with a 1.4GHz processor, 16GB of storage and an 8MP camera with auto-focus.
The report says AT&T's competitors will get their hands on some Windows Phones in the first half of 2012, only they won't be LTE devices. Nokia's Lumia 710 (codename "Sword") is set to hit Verizon Wireless in April. T-Mobile's version of the 710 will go on sale the second week of January, giving America's fourth-largest carrier a three-month lead on Verizon.
Despite toiling in relative obscurity up to this point, the Windows Phone operating system might be ready to make a big push. Some analysts estimate that it could could surge into second place in market share as soon as 2015 – passing Apple's iOS, trailing only Android – thanks to Microsoft's new global partnership with Nokia.
