Report: Lenovo Releasing Windows Phone in 2012

The smartphone market just got a lot more interesting with the news that Lenovo will introduce a new mobile phone using the Windows Phone operating system sometime in the latter half of 2012.

Lenovo product manager Chen Yue made the announcement during an interview with Chinese blog iMobile. Yue did not reveal any specs or pricing and gave no indication on when (or if) the device might hit U.S. shores.

But, as the second largest PC maker on the planet, hopes are high that the Lenovo offering will provide a much-needed boost to the Windows Phone platform, which has versus the iPhone and Android-powered devices.

Although the Windows Phone device launch is welcome news, Lenovo is already actively engaged in creating a smartphone consumer base in China with its would-be iPhone competitor . Based on a customized version of the Android operating system, the LePhone benefits from tight integration with various local Chinese services. But despite the local fit and finish, the LePhone has failed to outpace the iPhone with Chinese consumers who remain enthralled by the popularity of the Apple device, according to GigaOm. Lenovo is also going after the iPad with its .

The Windows Phone OS has received favorable reviews, particularly the , but has struggled to compete against iOS and Android. The real challenge for Windows Phone now would appear to be convincing users accustomed to the look and feel of the iPhone and Android-powered devices to give the strikingly different Windows Phone platform a try. Time will tell if Lenovo is the company to spur consumers to do just that.