Windows Phone 8 gets going in 2013

Photo: Microsoft Deutschland GmbH

With Windows Phone 8, Microsoft has launched a solid smartphone OS onto the market: the user interface is modern and customizable, the performance is good on all devices. And the software company controls the app quality - something that does not happen with the Android competition and has earned the Google OS a reputation as a tinkering system. However, the market share of Windows Phone is currently still disappointing. New models are expected to turn things around this year.

Lumia 1020: Nokia impresses with 41 megapixels

The Nokia Lumia 1020 was particularly eagerly awaited: The new high-end Windows Phone from the Finns impresses with outstanding image quality: the image sensor equipped with "Pure View" can record no less than 41 megapixels - and thus cleverly avoids a disadvantage that has been inherent to every smartphone up to now: the filigree design of the small lenses does not allow optical zoom. However, digitally zooming in on the photo causes the subject to pixelate - which should no longer be a problem with such a number of pixels on the Lumia 1020.

LG is working on a new Windows Phone

HTC is launching the 8XT as a solid mid-range model this year. The display will have the popular 4.3" diagonal. The rest of the built-in hardware also appears to be quite acceptable:

• A 1.4 GHz dual-core processor with 1 GB RAM is expected to ensure very smooth performance.
• However, the internal memory is rather small at 8 GB, although it can be expanded using a micro SD card.
• As with the HTC One, the speakers will face the front and feature Boomsound technology.

However, an exact price and a specific release date are not yet known. As you can read in blogs like touchscreen-handy.de it is clear that LG wants to build more Android smartphones - but is also working on another device with Windows Phone 8.

Last year, the South Koreans shocked everyone by announcing that they would not be developing a new smartphone for Microsoft's operating system and would instead focus entirely on Android. However, this decision is now apparently off the table. However, concrete information on the new smartphone is still a long time coming.

Windows Phone gets going

Nokia has once again committed to its strategy of only launching smartphones with Windows Phone 8 on the market alongside a few entry-level devices. The Lumia 1020 could become an impressive flagship, which impresses above all with its perfect camera.

However, HTC is also ensuring that the Windows Phone market is enriched with a solid mid-range model with the 8XT. LG, which actually announced its withdrawal last year, is also developing a new smartphone according to official information. This can only help the spread of the operating system.