Microsoft announced today that the first wave of Windows Phone 8 devices, which includes the Nokia Lumia 920 and Samsung Ativ S, will be available in Europe this weekend, and will continue to be released throughout the world in November. Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T will be offering Windows Phone 8 devices to their customers in the United States.
Of the company’s domestic carrier partners, Verizon will be offering the HTC 8X for $199 and the Nokia Lumia 822 for $99 with a two-year service contract, with release planned by Thanksgiving. T-Mobile, on the other hand, will be offering the HTC 8X for $149 and the Lumia 810 for $99 on November 14th, while AT&T will be carrying the Nokia Lumia 820 and 920, as well as the HTC 8X sometime later next month.
Microsoft also detailed new software features, such as the new Data Sense utility, that utilizes compression to maximize the amount of browsing you can do. Data Sense will also allow users to check individual apps and see how much bandwidth each one is eating.
Microsoft also announced Pandora’s arrival on the platform early next year, along with new and updated versions of Facebook, Twitter, and Skype.
Other features include the child-centric app, “Kid’s Corner”, which will allow children to play games and other apps on their parent’s phone with parental-set restrictions.
Office apps have been announced for the device, SkyDrive will allow syncing across the cloud between your Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices. OneNote will now support speech to text in its notes feature.
