Jonesing for some Windows Phone 8 action after Samsung made its ATIV S handset official earlier today? Microsoft still hasn't said exactly when its new platform will be launching, but today a new rumored date to circle on your calendar in pencil has surfaced. According to a source speaking to Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet, Microsoft will be holding an event to signify the official launch of Windows Phone 8 on October 29, just a few days after Windows 8 is slated to arrive. Foley goes on to say that the first devices running Windows Phone 8 should arrive "a week or two later," which jibes with a previous rumor from her claiming that the initial Windows Phone 8 handsets will be landing in November.

While this news is obviously unconfirmed, a late October launch event for Windows Phone 8 could make sense. As I mentioned before, Windows 8 (and the Surface) will be landing on October 26, and debuting Windows Phone 8 shortly thereafter would help to make late October and early November a Windows-heavy period of time, something that I'm sure Microsoft would enjoy quite a bit. It's not clear exactly when Microsoft will actually announce its plans for the Windows Phone 8 launch, but folks that need a WP8 fix in the near future have the Nokia-Microsoft event on September 5 to look forward to. How many of you are planning on checking out Windows Phone 8 whenever it finally does arrive?

Via ZDNet