Although none of the handset makers has officially released details about the devices that will accompany the launch of Windows Phone 7 this fall, we're starting to get a pretty good idea of what's coming.
Photos, videos or details on a handful of models have leaked to the Web including LG's keyboard-enabled c900, the touchscreen-only e900, HTC's Mozart, and Samsung's i917.
With Microsoft keeping pretty tight specifications on screen resolutions, components, and other details, all of the phones bear a strong resemblance to one another, with things like the camera, keyboard (or lack thereof), and screen type being among the key differences for the various hardware designs.
LG, Samsung, and HTC are all expected to be among the launch partners for Windows Phone 7. The Samsung device has even gotten approval from the Federal Communications Commission, as has a keyboard-equipped model from LG.
The FCC filing for the LG model, referred to as the W910 in the documents, appears to be yet another model from the Korean manufacturer. The filing, reported earlier by Phonescoop, also includes some photos and a handy user manual that details some of its features. (However, there are some details that make me wonder if this is using Windows Phone 7 or some other version of Windows Phone. I'm checking into it.)
Kurt Brockett at Identity Mine has tried to keep a running list of all the hardware that has been seen or speculated on.
The leaked devices are in addition to the current crop of developer-only devices, such as the Samsung Taylor that I have been testing for the past month or so. That model is not expected to ever be released commercially, Microsoft has said.
Last week, Microsoft used both the Taylor and a keyboard-equipped model from LG to show off some of the first Xbox Live games designed for Windows Phone 7.
Separately, Microsoft said that it will release the final version of the developer tools for Windows Phone 7 on September 16, allowing developers to work with features such as the phone's panorama and pivot concepts. In a blog post on Monday, the company also said that there have been more than 300,000 downloads of the beta tool set.
Source: CNET
