LG, Lenovo and others announced as new Windows Phone hardware partners

posted by Florin T. / Feb 23, 2014, 8:41 AM

LG, Lenovo and others announced as new Windows Phone hardware partners

While revealing that the next iteration of Windows Phone (likely version 8.1 - although this wasn’t specified) will be available "this spring", Microsoft today also announced new WP hardware partners. The two most important new partners are Lenovo and LG, which are currently the world’s fourth and fifth largest smartphone makers, respectively.

At the moment, LG and Lenovo are selling only Android handsets, and it will be interesting to see what Windows Phone devices they are planning to offer. As you may remember, LG released several Windows Phone 7 handsets back in 2010, but abandoned Microsoft’s mobile platform after WP8 was introduced.

Other new Windows Phone hardware partners include: Foxconn, Gionee, JSR, Longcheer, and India’s Lava (Xolo) and Karbonn. These manufacturers are joining Nokia (which will be a Microsoft company as soon as its acquisition is completed), Samsung, HTC, Huawei and ZTE - all five have already launched WP devices, although ZTE only made WP7 products.

According to Microsoft, we should see "an incredible new range of devices across screen sizes and price points." Most likely, all the new hardware partners will release Windows Phone devices after the 8.1 update rolls-out to existing phones, meaning as soon as this spring.

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33 Comments

1. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2277; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

Good.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 8:43 AM 3

27. aksa123

Posts: 366; Member since: Jan 30, 2014

Perhaps they just got bored with android :P

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 6:21 PM 3

2. rihel_95

Posts: 305; Member since: Mar 21, 2012

Why no Sony? :(

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 8:48 AM 1

8. ArtSim98

Posts: 3535; Member since: Dec 21, 2012

I'm hoping Sony will start making Xperia devices similar to Vaio Tap 11 now that we won't see any new Vaios anymore :( And I would definitely want it to run full Windows 8.1

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 9:32 AM 2

20. sip1995

Posts: 1771; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

SONY or die..hhaha

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 12:25 PM 0

25. mafiaprinc3

Posts: 585; Member since: May 07, 2012

i was wondering the same thing, Sony would make great WP with their awesome designs

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 6:16 PM 1

3. lucid.brat unregistered

Look at the irony everyone will try their luck with windows phone while nokia try with android...

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 8:59 AM 12

21. sip1995

Posts: 1771; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

Yeah an android device with Windows Phone ui, so the android users will switch easier to Windows Phones. The perfect attack to Google from Nokia/Microsoft.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 12:26 PM 3

28. rodneyej1

Posts: 3576; Member since: Jul 06, 2013

Smart!

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 6:46 PM 0

23. Dastrix unregistered

Yeah lol, also Lenovo as a new Windows Phone partner, after acquiring Moto from Google is just as ironic.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 2:58 PM 4

26. mafiaprinc3

Posts: 585; Member since: May 07, 2012

they are trying to expand their portfolio

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 6:18 PM 0

4. aditya.k

Posts: 496; Member since: Mar 10, 2013

When Nokia can bring devices like Lumia 525, I don't think Lava and Karbonn can do any damage! But then there are fanboys of those companies too, to buy them!

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 9:03 AM 5

5. xperiance

Posts: 44; Member since: Oct 22, 2013

So all those sony windows rumors were fake!!

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 9:29 AM 0

22. snowgator

Posts: 3621; Member since: Jan 19, 2011

Nah, I don't think so. But there has to be some "Playstation VS. XBOX Live" concessions for Sony to jump in. Sony sold their laptop business to concentrate on smartphone and maybe tablet sales. No reason to think the WP Sony isn't going to happen. Only that they haven't been announced. At least, I hope. I love me some Sony hardware. Would LOVE to see what a WP from them shapes up as!!

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 1:51 PM 1

31. chocowii

Posts: 478; Member since: Jan 30, 2014

Yes I think what hinders Sony from making WP devices is the Playstation-XBLA thingie. You cant have PS and Xbox side by side in one device. It can have conflicts.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 11:04 PM 0

6. 7thspaceman

Posts: 1597; Member since: Feb 14, 2011

Folks it's the Windows phone 8.1 update that is doing this. not only does this update give MS Windows 8 smartphones a lot of great new features but it also give Windows 8.1 smartphones the drivers to work on a lot of new low end and high end hardware. Microsoft has cut the price of it's Windows 8.1 license fees so low now we can see it on low priced Tablets. so get ready to be able to buy a windows 8.1 tablet as low as 250 dollar$. WOW that is what I see Microsoft needed to move Windows 8.1 Tablets. there will also be a new range of cheap 100 to 150 dollar windows 8.1 smart phones running Snapdragon and QUALCOMM ARMS CPU's s

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 9:31 AM 4

32. elitewolverine

Posts: 5192; Member since: Oct 28, 2013

You technically can. I got a refurbished Lenovo Lynx 11.6in with a 1yr warranty from Lenovo for 250 from newegg. Full blown windows 8, now 8.1 and loving every second of it. Especially since it has full dock support and hdmi out and sd card. The only thing it is 'missing' is a back camera. Has a front but I don't see me pulling out a 12in tablet to snap photos, I have my 925 for that.

posted on Feb 24, 2014, 12:41 AM 0

7. papss unregistered

Between this announcement and the one about the onscreen buttons this is an easy transition for OEM's it seems.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 9:32 AM 1

9. alterecho

Posts: 1106; Member since: Feb 23, 2012

Either these manufacturers have seen something the public hasn't, or Microsoft is throwing aroung cash.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 9:39 AM 4

10. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2277; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

You must be really bored.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 9:51 AM 6

29. rodneyej1

Posts: 3576; Member since: Jul 06, 2013

He cries alot... ALOT!!!!!

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 6:48 PM 1

14. networkdood

Posts: 6330; Member since: Mar 31, 2010

Well, they see the market for WP is growing - but, you are always taking a chance with the unknown - the key for these companies is CHEAP...that is how ANDROID did it at first, and that is how Microsoft has to do it, as well as their OEM partners...but, Microsoft is a bully, so idk if I would want to be their partner...

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 10:01 AM 3

24. Dastrix unregistered

I said it countless times that Samsung is Android's top dog, and that situation isn't changing anytime soon. It's kind of sad for those other Android OEMs. So, unless these OEMs resort to other options, the only feasible one being, Windows Phone, they would most likely go the the Blackberry way because Samsung is slowly killing them, one by one, HTC being the first. Windows Phone might just be their saviour.

posted on Feb 23, 2014, 3:02 PM 0

33. elitewolverine

Posts: 5192; Member since: Oct 28, 2013

You mean...wait you mean like every company out there that has cash to throw about? Like Samsung, or wait goooooogle? please you act like only MS uses cash incentives. You must live under a rock or something.