Well, there we have it: after vaguely pointing to a November launch window for its first batch of Windows Phone 8 handsets, AT&T has finally decided to get a bit more specific.
Nokia’s long-awaited Lumia 820 and 920 will both launch on November 9 (that’s this Friday, in case you were curious), with pre-orders for the handsets beginning tomorrow.
Despite previous reports to the contrary, the flagship Lumia 920 will set buyers back $99 with a two-year contract — if that sounds familiar, it’s because the AT&T-bound Lumia 900 made its debut at the same price point, though that plan wasn’t without its early hiccups.
To top it all off, AT&T will throw in a free wireless charging plate (for a little while, anyway), a move that highlights just how strongly Nokia wants you to buy their stuff. Meanwhile, the mid-range Lumia 820 will sell for $49 on contract, and I really have to wonder what kind of traction the thing will get when the price differential between this and Nokia’s top-tier Windows Phone is a relatively small one.
Of course, Nokia’s Windows Phones aren’t the only ones being groomed for a November launch — HTC’s Windows Phone 8X is slated for a release “before Thanksgiving,” but exactly when we can expect to see it on store shelves is still anyone’s guess. The standard 16GB model is priced at $199 with a two-year contract (which seems shockingly high for a Windows Phone, despite being a standard price tag for other devices), but the more wallet-conscious can opt for an exclusive 8GB model that will retail for $99.