Microsoft Raises the Curtain on Windows Phone’s Wireless Partners

Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) newly announced Windows Phone 8 will be carried by Verizon (NYSE:VZ), AT&T (NYSE:T), and T-Mobile when it launches in the U.S., the three wireless providers have confirmed. The new mobile operating system is set to be incorporated within Nokia (NYSE:NOK), Huawei, Samsung, and HTC smartphones.

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“AT&T plans to carry a new line of Windows Phone 8 smartphones launching later this year,” the company said in a statement to PC Magazine. T-Mobile also confirmed it will be a partner right from the launch.

Leap Wireless’ (NASDAQ:LEAP) Cricket prepaid brand, which recently received Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone, MetroPCS (NYSE:PCS), and Sprint (NYSE:S) said they would wait before making a decision. Cricket has been in discussions with device makers for a while over the new Microsoft software, but did not commit to offering it.

Windows Phone 8 supports multi-core processors, can display up to 1280 x 768 pixels, and includes external storage on microSD. It will also be able to support faster games and other applications, which can be written in native code shared with the PC Windows 8 and the tablet Windows RT. The software also supports NFC and a new wallet application. Microsoft is promising enterprise-ready security and support on phones as well. The first devices running on the new software will be available in fall, when the company’s new tablet, Surface, also starts shipping.

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