Nokia debuts Windows phones

LONDON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Finnish phone firm Nokia Corp. said Wednesday it was ready to debut its first devices based on Microsoft Corp.'s operating system.

Nokia Chief Executive Officer Stephen Elop announced in February the firm would be turning away from its prior Symbian operating system and using Microsoft Windows for phones.

"Eight months ago, we shared our new strategy and today we are demonstrating clear progress of this strategy in action," The Wall Street Journal quoted Elop as saying Wednesday at a company convention in London.

"We're driving innovation throughout our entire portfolio, from new smartphone experiences to ever-smarter mobile phones," Elop said.

At that, Nokia said it was ready to take pre-orders for its top model, the Lumia 800, which will sell for $584. The cheaper Lumia 700 will sell for $375, and be available first in Asia before the end of the year.

The Lumia 800 pre-orders are available for November delivery for customers in six European countries -- France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Spain and the Netherlands. By 2012, it will be available in Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan.

It will make it to stores in the United States in the first quarter of 2012.

With Samsung and others already selling phones with Windows Phone 7.5, Nokia is including a package of software applications to have Lumia stand apart from the competition.

However, Nokia also unveiled a set of cheaper phones, the Nokia Asha 200, 2001, 300 and 303, with the 200 and 201 given a price tag of $83 and the 303 and 300 expected to sell for $160 and $120, receptively.