Microsoft is just about to kick off its Windows Phone 7 event, but it appears that AT&T couldn't wait to pull the wraps off of its new WP7-powered phones.  The HTC Surround, Samsung Focus, and LG Quantum have all appeared on AT&T's site, and they've all got a little something different to offer potential owners.  The HTC Surround is the HTC T8788 that we saw previously, featuring slide out speakers and 16 GB of storage.  Samsung's Focus is the i917 Cetus that has probably leaked out more than any other WP7 phone.  The Focus is "slender and light," with a 4-inch AMOLED display.  Finally, we have the LG Quantum, which sports a slide out QWERTY keyboard and a 5 megapixel camera.  AT&T hasn't revealed pricing or availability for these new handsets just yet, so maybe they are saving something for the WP7 event today.

It's great to see a variety of form factors and manufacturers available at Windows Phone 7's launch, which will be important in helping the new platform succeed.  They'll need to get some quality app developers on board, too, because apps are what make the world go 'round.  So, readers, would you prefer a music-focused phone, a full touch experience, or something with a touch of QWERTY?

UPDATE: And now AT&T has made it all official.  All three phones will retail for $199.99, with the Samsung Focus launching on November 8th.  The HTC Surround and LG Quantum will be coming "in time for the holidays."  You can check out the full press release down below.

AT&T to Offer Leading Portfolio of Windows Phones
New Exclusive Windows Phones from HTC, LG and Samsung Deliver Apps and Entertainment

Dallas, Texas, Redmond, Washington, October 11, 2010
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AT&T* and Microsoft Corp. today introduced a leading portfolio of new phones based on Windows Phone 7 , Microsoft's new mobile operating system that that has been the focus of worldwide buzz and bandwidth for months. The new smartphones from HTC, LG and Samsung will be available exclusively for AT&T customers ahead of the holiday shopping season.

“These devices – quite literally – are game changers, and we are delighted to bring them to our customers,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “It's a perfect match – phones that re-define gaming and entertainment, riding a network that assures customers a high-speed experience.”

“AT&T has long been a leader in the smartphone market, and we're pleased that the powerful, new experiences in Windows Phone 7 will debut on a very fast and reliable mobile broadband network,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft has taken the most engaging and useful experiences across the company and delivered them in a single point of focus and value for customers nationwide.”

Each of the three smartphones sports a capacitive glass touch screen, 5-megapixel camera and a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, but is designed to appeal to different types of customers. The new Windows Phones for AT&T customers are:

HTC Surround – premiers as the first smartphone to include integrated Dolby Mobile and SRS surround sound speakers. The HTC Surround speakers slide-out and reveal a kickstand for watching video beneath its 3.8-inch touch screen. HTC Surround blurs the line between home and mobile entertainment, making games, music and video on the go more enjoyable than ever.
LG Quantum™ – designed for work, play and everything in between. With a slide-out keyboard for quick use of Office Mobile®, users can stay active and up to date with work. The LG Quantum also features DLNA technology through a preloaded application called Play To, which allows users to wirelessly stream videos, music, and pictures from the phone to a DLNA-enabled TV, stereo, Windows 7 PC and other consumer electronics devices.
Samsung Focus™ – debuts as AT&T's thinnest Windows Phone and offers a visually stunning experience with a Super AMOLED™ screen on a sleek 9.9 mm-thin touch screen phone. With the Focus'™ amazingly crisp, brilliant screen, photos, games and videos come alive.
Windows Phone 7 has been carefully crafted to help people get more done in fewer steps by bringing important information to the surface with a unique Hub and Tile interface. The Hubs offer quick and easy access to a person's latest and most valuable information and includes People, Pictures, Games, Music & Video, Office and Marketplace content. Windows Phone 7 also integrates with many popular and powerful Microsoft consumer services such as Xbox LIVE®, Windows Live®, Bing® and Zune®.

Apps and Entertainment

Each new Windows Phone from AT&T will include AT&T U-verse Mobile, an app that allows users to download and watch hit shows on their smartphone. U-verse TV subscribers with certain packages will be able to download and watch hit TV shows for no extra charge, and all U-verse TV customers can also schedule and manage their DVR recordings from the app. For the first time, U-verse Mobile will be available nationwide — even to those who are not U-verse TV customers — for just $9.99 per month. Subscribers can access the full content library, select which series or specific episode to download over Wi-Fi, and view on the go wherever they have their Windows Phone.

For a limited time, AT&T customers who choose Windows Phone will get a free Entertainment Pack, redeemable at www.att.com/windowsphone. This offer will provide a download to ‘ilomilo', an Xbox LIVE Arcade game exclusive to Windows Phones from AT&T through the end of the year. In the game, ilo and milo always seems to get separated from each other in their surrealistic world of cubes, and players work to help them reunite. Ilomilo is a stunning example of the incredible graphics and quality of gaming available on Windows Phones through Xbox LIVE.

The offer also includes a free 30-day trial offer for U-verse Mobile and Zune Pass, which gives customers the ability to download or stream more than tem million songs from Zune plus the option to download and keep ten songs after the subscription ends. Ilomilo, and a month each of U-verse Mobile and Zune Pass combined represent a nearly $30 value.

Pricing and Availability

All three Windows Phones from AT&T will be available in AT&T company-owned retails stores and online at www.wireless.att.com for $199.99. The Samsung Focus will be available on November 8 and the HTC Surround and LG Quantum will be available in time for the holidays.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com. For more information about Windows Phone 7, visit www.att.com/windowsphone.

Via Engadget, AT&T