HTC has unveiled two new smartphones that run on Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.The brightly coloured Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S will be available in 50 countries from November via 146 network providers.
Weighing 130 grams and featuring a 4.3in display,the dual-core powered Windows Phone 8X will be priced at£399.The Windows Phone 8S offers a smaller 4in screen at the lower price of£225.
"Consumers are going to love these phones,and we're committed to reaching them in a manner that's clear and direct,"Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer told the audience at the New York launch event.
The announcement comes after Nokia and Microsoft revealed the Windows 8-based Lumia earlier this month.
A recent readership survey by Computing revealed that of 600 respondents,just six per cent use a Windows-operated smartphone as their primary device.
Microsoft will be looking to gain a larger share of the market,potentially drawing consumers away from the dominant iPhone and Android-based devices.However,Computing's research found that just 14 per cent of those surveyed would make the switch to a Windows 8 phone.Forty-four per cent said they have no intention whatsoever of switching to a Windows-operated device.
The markets initially reacted well to HTC's Windows Phone announcement,with shares in the Taiwanese manufacturer rising by two per cent,before dropping to 0.16 per cent lower than before the 8X and 8S were revealed.
The Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S are available to pre-order now.
