By Stephen Schenck | September 26, 2012 1:00 PM
Beyond the high-profile Windows Phone 8 handsets being launched by the likes of Nokia and HTC, we’ve also heard a bit about Huawei’s plans for its own WP8 gear. That’s included the potential for two models, a mid-range W1 and a higher-end W2. We heard some comments from Huawei about the W1 recently, which looked to a release date for the phone sometime around November or December, along with the possibility of a September 25 announcement. Well, that didn’t end up happening yesterday, and now rumors look to Huawei not bringing a WP8 model to market until the very tail-end of the year.
Supposedly, the very earliest Huawei may be ready to release one of its Windows Phone 8 models would be in late December, just a week or so from 2013. That doesn’t sound like the smartest time to launch a new handset, and if Huawei can’t have it out by earlier in the month, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it delayed until early 2013.
It’s also unclear if we’re talking about the W1, W2, or both here. If Huawei waits too long, it risks having any announcements overshadowed by the CES and MWC, where we’re sure to see some bleeding-edge hardware. Will it get the timing right and enjoy some solid Windows Phone 8 sales, or is it just setting itself up for disappointment with this timetable?
