Digging what you saw of Windows Phone 8 earlier today? If so, you're probably wondering whether or not your particular carrier is planning on supporting Microsoft's new mobile operating system. So far it appears that at least three U.S. carriers are on board with Windows Phone 8, with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon telling PCMag that they intend to back the OS. AT&T said that it plans to offer new Windows Phone 8 devices "later this year," while T-Mobile told the publication that it's "very bullish on Windows 8" and that it'll be a launch partner. Finally, Verizon said that it "will support the Windows Phone 8 platform." CFO Fran Shammo told Reuters back in April that Verizon expects to have WP8 devices available by the end of 2012.
Other carriers also spoke with PCMag, but they aren't quite ready to publicly commit to Windows Phone 8. Sprint said that it's got "a very strong relationship" with Microsoft but that it doesn't comment on unannounced products. A Sprint exec said back in May that he was "still bullish on Apollo" at the time. Meanwhile, Cricket explains that it aims to offer "a range of choices regarding phones, plans and operating systems," but it wouldn't actually say whether WP8 devices are in the pipeline. MetroPCS simply said that it plans to keep an eye on Windows Phone adoption for now.
So far we've only really see AT&T and T-Mobile heavily back Windows Phone here in the U.S. While both Sprint and Verizon have offered Windows Phone products, each carrier has only released one model to date: the HTC Arrive launched at Sprint in March 2011 and the HTC Trophy hit Verizon in May 2011. It's good to see that Verizon will finally be offering a new Windows Phone device once WP8 lands, and while nothing is confirmed for Sprint just yet, the rumor mill has claimed that the Now Network may have a device planned. Has your particular carrier already backed Windows Phone 8? If so, do you plan on checking out their device(s) once they're announced?
Via PCMag
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