14 DAY TRIAL // Redmond-based software giant Microsoft is already hard at work with the development of the next flavor of Windows Phone, which should arrive on shelves sometime next year, most probably, about the same time that Windows 8 will land on PCs, and it seems that it will receive full support for mobile chip makers out there.
Companies like Nvidia, Qualcomm or ST-Ericsson have already announced plans to offer support for the platform, and more of them should make similar moves soon.
Nvidia, for example, already announced plans to offer support for Microsoft's mobile OS with its future chips, and is expected even to have a quad-core application processor available for Windows Phone handset makers in the not-too-distant future.
However, it seems that Qualcomm might actually be the chip maker that will have processors packed inside the first Windows Phone 8 devices.
Cristiano Amon, vice president of product development at QCT (Qualcomm CMDA TECHNOLGIES), reportedly stated that the company might be positioned to come to the market with a platform for the Windows Phone 8 OS first.
Apparently, they are already closely working with Microsoft on the development of the platform, which should prove a great advantage over rival companies.
At the same time, ST-Ericsson's CEO, Gilles Delfassy, confirmed that the company might not have a chip available for Nokia's Windows Phones (which will run under WP 7.5 Mango), but that the Windows Phone 8 platform will be supported.
The company is reportedly working on the launch of a dual-core ARM Cortex A-15 chip next year, and there is a strong possibility that the silicon would make it inside Windows Phone 8 devices too.
Unfortunately, there are no details available on what Windows Phone 8 might be all about, or on what hardware requirements it could pack, but, based on what Microsoft has shown on Windows 8 and on the fact that the two might be tightly connected, we should expect for a great experience for all mobile phone users, it seems. (via)