Speaking at this year’s Imagine Cup competition currently taking place in New York City, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reiterated that the next generation of Windows Phone devices will be out in time for the holiday season:
“Windows Phone. You know, a year ago we didn’t have a phone in the market. Now, we’re charging forward with Nokia. We have the second generation of our phones coming out this Christmas, and people are starting to do things they had never imagined before.”
Microsoft formally announced the next version of Windows Phone, known as Mango, back in May. It is expected to be released in the fall. Samsung, HTC, LG, and newcomers Acer, Fujitsu, Nokia (courtesy of its new partnership with Microsoft), and ZTE are all expected to release devices based on the latest version. It remains to be seen which ones will have devices out by the end of the year. Nokia for its part has been pushing hard to have its first Windows Phone device (based on the Sea Ray prototype?) out this year. Speculation suggests that Nokia could unveil it at this year’s Nokia World in late October.