Word's on the street that the world's first Windows Phone 8 (WP8) powered smartphone, the Samsung ATIV S, is now available for pre-order and will ship from Dec. 21.
Samsung was the first to announce the smartphone in partnership with Microsoft; however, the Korean company has lagged behind competing WP8 makers Nokia and HTC when it came to the device's launch.
Earlier in November this year, it was reported that the ATIV S was delayed till December and retailer Clove UK's pre-order page cited stock holdups until "week commencing December 10th." Initially, Samsung's ATIV S was expected to hit the shelves in November in time for the holiday season.
However, consumers in the UK will welcome the news that the ATIV S is now available for pre-order on the Vodafone mobile network thanks to retailer Phones4U.
Interested buyers can pick up the ATIV S for free from the retailer's Web site for £33 on a two-year contract from Vodafone. The contract is inclusive of 600 free minutes, unlimited texts, and 500MB of monthly data. Alternately, a £34 per month plan with a £29.99 upfront cost (two-year contract) will give users unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, and 2GB of data.
Phones4U will ship the smartphone from Dec. 21, which confirms that Samsung has delayed the ATIV S' release by a month. Clove UK still shows the shipment date as "week commencing" Dec. 10, which is two weeks earlier than Phone4U's estimate, and is offering the unlocked handset for £442.80. Samsung is yet to confirm which of the two dates is accurate.
The INQUIRER reported that Samsung told them last week that "The launch of Samsung Ativ S in the UK is scheduled in December. We will be bringing our customers a unique and best-in-class Windows Phone 8 experience."
With the ATIV S delayed to December and varying shipment dates, it doesn't seem promising for buyers who would have wanted the smartphone before Christmas.
Would you be pre-ordering the ATIV S or prefer the HTC and Nokia offerings?
most read
more stories from Mobile
Stay updated! Google Messages Beta introduces a fresh Gallery Picker UI. Explore it now for enhanced messaging experience.
ernest hamiltonExciting news! Samsung has begun developing One UI 7.0 Beta, based on Android 15, for the Galaxy S24 series. Stay tuned for the latest updates.
ernest hamiltonStay tuned for Pixel 8a's first update, introducing Google's AI Wallpaper Generator! Don't miss out on this exciting feature.
ernest hamiltonWith Google Messages, you can now enjoy a new audio recorder and voice moods, enhancing your messaging experience. Check it out today!
ernest hamiltonThe iOS 17.5 RC release brings several enhancements, including updates to the Podcasts widget, an improved unwanted tracking system, Repair State mode, and more.
ernest hamiltonThe decision to revoke export licenses to Huawei could have significant implications for chip sales by Intel and Qualcomm in the US.
ernest hamiltonExperience innovation like never before with Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S25 Series, set to introduce the groundbreaking 'Battery AI' feature. Learn more in our latest article!
ernest hamiltonThe leaked promo images of the Sony Xperia 1 VI reveal exciting details ahead of its launch. Dive into the details in our latest article!
ernest hamilton