Here's a taste of how much Windows Phone 8 will cost: prices have emerged for the HTC 8X and HTC 8S as they prepare to take on the Nokia Lumia range.
The dual-core HTC 8X will cost £400, challenging the Nokia Lumia 920 also announced this month. The 4.3-inch high-definition screen shows off the new Windows Phone 8 homescreen, which lets you resize the colourful squares to your heart's content.
The 8X's little brother, the 8S, will cost £225. It sports a 4-inch screen, with a 1GHz dual-core processor and 5-megapixel camera. The 8S is up against the Nokia Lumia 820.
Prices for the Nokia range are yet to be announced, but I suspect they'll be more than a few quid dearer than the outlay quoted for the HTC pair.
Those HTC prices are according to online retailer Expansys, however, so they're not set in stone. And there's plenty of time for prices to change as we won't see them until November, when Windows Phone 8 makes its debut.
Windows Phone 8 arrives hard on the heels of Windows 8 for computers, laptops and tablets. There's set to be a crossover between computers, tablets and phones as Windows 8 and its mobile counterpart share apps, as well as the vibrant, blocky touchscreen interface.
The 8X and 8S are HTC's first Windows Phone mobiles. They pack plenty of power under the colourful paint jobs, but I can't help thinking they're a bit too similar to the Lumia range.
Incidentally, did you know HTC stands for High Tech Computers? Well it does. How adorable.
Would you fork out £400 for the 8X? Are HTC's Windows Phone phones genuine competition for the Nokia Lumia range? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 8
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Meleagru 21 September, 2012 13:05
The price is reasonable, but I'm puzzled by what Microsoft is trying to achieve with its partners. First, they start building a tablet, competing with established OEMs, then they decide to branch out their mobile division with at least three main hardware suppliers, basically scorning Nokia from its star position. I think Ballmer is slowly losing it. He's spreading the company too thin.
hazaman88 21 September, 2012 13:13
Dear EVERYONE!
An acquaintance I have on Facebook took a picture of herself holding the iPhone 4s and 5 side by side, with herself in the background pouting to the camera. "Oh My GOD it's changed so much!" being her caption for this photo....
Atfer questioning The meaning of life, I came up with a question, and need you to help me answer it. Please help restore my faith in humanity...
8X or 920? And whats the ONE main differentiating factor behind your choice?? :)
anonymous 21 September, 2012 13:56
@ Hazaman88
Whats important to you? Nokia have some great gimicks with their L920.
Do you use your phone as your main device for listening to music? If so with the beats Gimic by HTC will probably be the phone for you.If you use your phone for taking photos then the L920 would be a good idea also If its cutting edge tech the get the L920. Also dont forget the Ativ S hasnt released much detail about what the phone actually does and doesnt do.
anonymous 21 September, 2012 14:01
@ Meleagru
What are you on about? Microsoft spreading to thin? It gives people choice!
Microsoft isnt Apple it has taken a different approcah to the mobile industry. Also as far as making the Surface goes its not harming any other OEM in fact it encourages them to make better prodcuts. The Surface is the becnh mark that Microsoft expects OEMs to aim for at the very least. If millions of Windows 8 tablets were made and weren't very good then Microsoft would suffer heavily but by setting a bench mark this will only make W8 WinRT and WP8 grow IMHO.
Meleagru 21 September, 2012 15:31
They just seem a little confused. Google is fully committed to open source, Apple is committed to full control over hardware and software, while Microsoft is in exploratory mode. They'd like to pull an Apple but there is a reason why most PCs use Windows, and that's because it just strikes a perfect balance between the two opposing camps. They did great with the Xbox, at least in the US. They might do great with the Surface, but I'm still reserved about them. For phones, I think that they should have given Nokia a head start for at least a couple of months before branching out.
Loadit 21 September, 2012 17:23
I think I would go for the Nokia devices just so there is another challenger on the block.
anonymous 22 September, 2012 00:07
Guys i need at favor i need help choosing a phone so which will it be the samsung S3 ot the HTC 8X pease help
Ruffus Stone 22 September, 2012 01:31
@Meleagru 21 September, 2012 15:31
Quote: "......Google is fully committed to open source....."
I wouldn't say they're fully committed at all.
Apart from certain Google execs inadvertently letting slip that going open source was in hindsight a huge mistake, Google are battling in court around the use of various aspects of Android code by certain Android device manufacturers, who are said to be exploiting the OS in ways that Google don't approve of or benefit from.
With companies like Amazon using forked versions of the OS, the horse has already bolted in the sense of lost revenue streams.
Expect to see more locking down of Google apps in the future. It will be the only way they can make any money from this loss making venture.