If you just tuned in to our latest podcast, you probably heard Jay and myself discussing when we expect Windows Phone 8 to actually come out—especially since we now know that Windows 8 Desktop will be here October 26th.
Going on simple history, the last two release cycles for Windows Phone have occurred in the October/November timeframe and we expect that to repeat again this year. Throw in the October 26th street date for Win 8 and it should be obvious what Microsoft’s overarching strategy will be—a dual launch where two of their main products dominate headlines. Or what lame business folk call “synergy”.
Over at ZDNet, Mary Jo Foley is hearing from a trusted source the following dates for Microsoft:
"Windows Phone 8: September (RTM for "Apollo" OS); November (general availability for first devices)"
That sounds about right to us especially since we have no SDK quite yet (though that’s expected to be forthcoming soon). With Nokia planning their “Nokia World” event in early September, we think we’ll be shown some new devices…but they won’t quite be ready for sale, not at least for a few months.
All in all, no suprrise if those dates are true as they’re in line with what we’ve expected. One thing we do know—Microsoft has their back to the wall to meet these release dates, so expect a lot of fluidity with announcements and information for the next few months.
Edit: According to Nokia CEO Stephen Elop via the NY Times, it might even be October. The take away is what we said before--this launch is in motion--and with regional and carrier launches, exact timing will vary.
Source: ZDNet
Comments
It can't come soon enough!
they should NOT release it on the same date. They should release it with like 3 weeks in between so the headlines will be filled with "Windows" for at least two months!
First Windows Phone 8 - which will fill headlines for some weeks with all the tests and reviews and the new devices and then BAM Windows 8 and Surface and all the Tablet and Upgrade Stuff and i'll go nuts baby. This will fill the news with Microsoft again for a couple of Weeks.
In my opinion, releasing these two products on the same date will kinda even each others waves out.
Under this logic maybe they should release Surface three weeks after Windows 8?
Naw...The fans will be happy, but that won't bring in new ones. In fact, doing that will make people get sick and tired of Windows. I say just launch the damn thing, and have one giant launch party all over the world.
I agree. Shock and Awe.
WP8 needs to be in the stores before the iPhone 5. This is one time Microsoft needs to be ahead of schedule.
^ This! Beating the iPhone 5 to market will be too tempting an offer for many that tweek for the hip item.
I was coming here to say the exact same thing. But that being said, MS wouldn't want the iPhone 5 launch to steal headlines away from WP8 if it releases afterward.
Surface pro + Nokia WP8 device + next Gen Xbox
Deadly combination! :D
Amen!
i'm so gonna waste my money on that. Not even a gamer. I'd buy the Xbox for the subscribe stuff music movie thing.
btw: you can replace the word "waste" with "spend (because i'm a fukin tech-junky)"
oh, and /s - i am a gamer. Just not a console one - yet.
I'm a HUGE PC gamer but, I will admit, the xbox 360 is an awsome gaming piece of hardware and worth every dime.
Now THAT is an ecosystem..
Droid can only wish..
Apple is behind allready..
Now if the average Joe would just wake up, but then again, once he sees these new phones that look just like his Windows 8 PC at home.. That's where it starts. And MSFT knows this..
It's gonna be a very interesting few months..
I really hope that you are right. But something tells me that regular Joe will ending up in line at the Apple store for iPhone 5. Probably totally clueless if it is better just that it's the latest show off phone from Apple.
Really hope that Nokia can steal some thunder from Apple, but with the press in love with Apple that will be hard.
Oh yeah baby. Completely deadly
Going to be devastating to the wallet of peoples intending to buy all of them together :D
I disagree: Surface, Nokia WP8, Next gen xBox 720 plus an Ultrabook. Remember the Surface pro will still only have a small screen and anything less than 14" is just a tablet, so I'll skimp on the tab and upgrade my notebook. Sweeeeet.
where is that darn podcast ??????????????????????
We just aired live an hour ago..where were you?
Like all out podcasts, this one is being mixed and uploaded soon along with the HD video--we can't just snap our fingers ;-)
Oooo HD video!
Why are some podcast available about a hour after while others take like six or seven hours.
Some of us are in line for a Dark Night Marathon.
What is giong to be really stupid IMO is this new something amazing is coming to Nokia September 7th at their main store and it wont be anything they can get now. That was the problem with the Lumia devices, took too long
At least they will be ready for the holiday season not like last year, i am thinking the first devices will Nokia devices and it would be stupid not to have it ready prior to black friday.
For all the 7.5 users, i am guessing now that the 7.8 update wont be here until december :(
Mr E says different http://mobilitydigest.com/nokia-confirms-october-launch-of-windows-phone-8october-26-makes-sense/
Lets hope so.
But I want it now!
I have my doubts about that. I think October and maybe even September.
I think Nokia is badass for giving us 4 lumia style phones to hold us over until the big bad mutha futha comes lol
Amen, brutha! =P
I can't wait!
The post by Mary J Foley also lists Oct 26 as the release date for Surface RT. I'd really like to see a promotional bundle of some kind with Surface and a Windows Phone 8.
My question is how much for this surface
Same as iPad give or take
I wouldn't be surprised, except i can see them bundling a 7.8 phone which would make no sense, but move inventory.
She also left a note in the comments of that article that says the SDK could be out end of this month. - possibly next week
i had thought MS said during the developer conference that the SDK would be released end of July which happens to be in the next 1.5 weeks.
SURFACE PROO PLZ
I just want this camera to be fixed.. Lumia 900..
Fixed in their WP8 device. :)
The more I see the WP8 start screen, the more I'm starting to love it! I can already imagine my screen arrangement and color selection. I just hope we will be able to change the color of any tile we want to and that swipe gestures are baked in.......You would think so since the jump arrow is gone.
I love the new setup of the tiles, hate the colors though. I hope we won't be stuck with this color scheme for too long.
New accents are coming to wp7.8
Not individual tiles, not happening. Part of the metro ui is the color scheme thru out the whole phone. I'm pretty sure they aren't going to change that.
Oh yeah, and the four launch partners MS has chosen for WP8 better bring some sick devices to the table because you know people are going to jump on the iphone 5 bandwagon unless the partners can set a standard like MS has set for PC manufacturers with the Surface!!!
It's a mistake if they can't get a coordinated launch of all new devices. They need Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Phone 8, out in the hands of the public, on new devices, including the Surface RT and any other computers/tablets that it's shipping on, PLUS a variety of phones on all major US carriers, out on October 26. The reason is that they need the combined marketing blitz to make WP8 seem like a viable option. Hell, I'd even argue that they need the fall 360 update on that date, to make sure that there's some DLNA or even SmartGlass action available then.
Any news on 7.8 for current devices?
I'd really love go Windows all the but my grand daughter needs A tablet school starts the last of August. A few weeks I could probably get away with if I had a receipt but 2 months no way. WTH are they waiting for is beyond me. Price the RT and get on with preorders they are going to loose fortune in back to school sales and Black Friday sales
Simply, they are polishing up the OS and not pushing their schedule.
You don't want a rushed product do you? Pissed off customers will cause much more lost fortune.
There are already issues with some of the first batch of Nexus 7 tablets: dead pixels, loose displays, image retention...
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Nexus-7-Jelly-Bean-Dead-Pixel-Screen-Separation-DIY,16362.html
MS has to get the surface right and not rush things, these type of things gives a bad first impression.
My birthday is October 21.. Windows 8 is just days after that. How about Windows Phone 8 is befor that :D
Well RTM should be October then xda can port it over to first Gen hardware. /wishful thoughts
But possible. Realy possible! I think even before the start of windows phone 7.8 or 8. Because i had mango 30 or more days before it was released. So its gonna hapoen with 7.8 & 8 :)
Don't wish too hard, it may be slow.
MS is missing the boat again. Windows 8 tablets missing back to school and possibly letting Apple get the next iPhone out before WP8. All tech sites will be glued on the iphone for weeks and if the rumored new iPad hits its all over for any press
That's exactly my point Rob. BTT they get around to preorders as a parent my purchase of the RT tablet will be mute because school will started 4weeks earlier. I want Surface Pro for myself but it seems fully 4 months away. January after missing the 3 largest sales dates of the year if they were trying to keep sales down they couldn't have scheduled this release better if they were trying to loose sales.
Stop complaining about release dates, we don't want a rushed product do we? Mango was rushed and look how many complaints we're getting about the disappearing keyboard
That would be the STILL disappearing keyboard !!! Would love to know the number of an AT&T honcho so he could explain WHY in the world we still have no 8107, after what is it now close to 8 months ??? AT&T sure knows how to treat their customers.Bet those honchos get their bonuses on time, ya think ?
I don't know where you are, but I received the mango update when I was still carrying my first Gen Samsung focus and mango resolved my disappearing keyboard issue, which happened rarely and was not a major issue for me.
My intention is to express my opinion not create enemies but there is a.level of reality some of us have to face. I pay my own way. There are 3 types of purchases,required, desired and impulse. At this point both one and two are going to be moot simply because they'll screwed this up royally. They have momentum and great products but getting the product out to customers well. You call it what you like but tradition is what got them in this position they are reacting when when they should be on the offensive
Right
a november release would probably be too late for me. I'd like to step back and look at the iphone and Nokia phone and decide.
Surprise is spelled wrong near the end of the article.
I'd like to see them releasing everything on the same day. So everybody can see how huge the change is.
And then next year the new Xbox. If played right, apple and android will be dust in the wind in a few month
I'm expecting OEMs to jump on the train for new windows 8 based products right away. This will be a huge market where a lot of money can be earned. Right at the start we will see a large range of awesome products which will give the ecosystem a huge boost. Integration of multiple devices will be the key word.
I thought the iPhone 5 was being released next month? Id that's the case, MS need to get wp8 out by, at the latest, September. . .
Since ms is tryin to create an echosys with w8,wp8,xbox, etc...they should mention wp8 in all there commercials. This is their point...marketing. They should hire the marketers from apple.
This is going to be an awesome fall/winter for MS.
*Windows 8
*Surface
*Windows Phone 8 w/ modern hardware + Nokia Pureview.
*SmartGlass release
*And sometime early next year, Office 2013.
Can't wait.
Bring it on ! Can't wait. Sept would be awsome but, I would not count on it...