8.1 Hardware Announcement?

[steve_w_7]

What is the next event/date that we should be looking forward to for announcements on new 8.1 handsets and which carriers will be carrying them?

 

[Jazmac]

I don't know but my patience is getting thinner by the day. I love my 920 but as much as I love it, like my pooch, it ages in dog years. With that, other phones are beginning to grab my attention. I hope its soon because its still all about me.

 

[Harry Wild]

The next hardware announcement is on the 20th of May but it is suppose to be about the Surface Mini and possible the next generation Surface Pro. Since Microsoft just purchased Nokia; I would think they do a Motorola Moto X like move to get rid of those Nokia Lumia branded smartphones since Microsoft wants to brand it only logos and stuff. I think it may happen in June sometime. But I will wait for an universal WP that has all the U.S. LTE carriers rolled into to one Windows smartphone. I talking about smartphones like the iPhone and Google Nexus smartphones that have all the bands in it so you can go to any GSM carrier and it will work instead of having exclusivity to an individual carrier.

 

[Jazmac]

You know Harry Wild, I'm hoping Microsoft gets really innovative and changes the name from Windows Phone to something else. Surface Phone or something that doesn't use Windows in its name. Apple isn't calling its phone by its OS name. Google didn't do that. They give it a name that happens to run its respective OS. Windows Phone is almost a default something that stuck.

 

[steve_w_7]

Is it just me or is there absolutely no buzz (in the US) regarding new Windows Phone handsets? I don't recall a time since I became a Windows Phone user back in 2011 where I have been less excited about what's coming up. /build was a complete letdown. Either Microsoft or their partners have gotten real good at containing leaks or there is just nothing on the horizon. Either way, I'm unenthused at the moment...

 

[theefman]

Is it just me or is there absolutely no buzz (in the US) regarding new Windows Phone handsets? I don't recall a time since I became a Windows Phone user back in 2011 where I have been less excited about what's coming up. /build was a complete letdown. Either Microsoft or their partners have gotten real good at containing leaks or there is just nothing on the horizon. Either way, I'm unenthused at the moment...

Truth is there are no new handsets worth any kind of buzz, in the US at least. At&t has a lock on the 1520, likewise Verizon with the Icon so the two flagship Lumia devices are already out (and already being ignored by their respective carriers). We can bank on Samsung not to promote its Ativ SE and Tmo is only getting two low end phones. Elsewhere in the world the 930 is starting its rollout but doesnt really strike me as buzz worthy considering its just another quad core phone and doesnt do anything new. So yes, it seems WP 8.1, despite all the improvements is going to be another damp squib launch.