Microsoft Phone Headed to Verizon
NEW YORK, (
) --
Microsoft
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will dip a toe or two into the phone market this month with the expected introduction of two so-called feature phones at
Verizon
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.
The company sent invitations to an April 12 press event and
CNET blogger Ina Fried writes
that she's confirmed the preparations for two slider phones aimed at texting and social networking users at Verizon.
If true, the move is far short of the
Microsoft Windows Phone 7
touchscreen smartphone development that
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TheStreet
first reported in February. Microsoft is working with at least one hardware manufacturer --
Asus
on its first Windows 7 phone.
Microsoft's Windows Mobile phones fell out of favor in the past three years as
Apple's
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iPhone,
Research In Motion's
(RIMM)
BlackBerry and
Google's
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Android-powered phones have gained popularity among smartphone buyers.
Microsoft hopes to make up for lost ground with a touchscreen-controlled phone of its own that features Zune media capabilities and Xbox games.
--Written by Scott Moritz in New York.
