An invitation sent to media announcing the Microsoft Windows Phone 7 launch event on Oct. 11 confirms AT&T’s involvement as a premier carrier for the upcoming smartphone platform. In addition, separate Microsoft Webpage suggests that representatives from T-Mobile will also be present.
Microsoft had previously confirmed that Windows Phone 7 will appear first on GSM-based cellular networks such as AT&T’s, before being available on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) carriers, including Verizon, in first-half 2011. During the Oct. 11 event, AT&T executives will likely provide a timeframe for an actual device launch, although previous reports have suggested an early November timeframe.
Fierce competition with Google Android devices and the Apple iPhone is widely credited with having driven down Microsoft’s smartphone market share over the past several quarters; although the company’s Mobile franchise once held a comfortable portion of the market, largely thanks to business adoption, the rise of those other platforms saw a corresponding dip in Microsoft’s user base.
For more, read the eWeek article Windows Phone 7 Launch Scheduled for Oct. 11.