Microsoft and its partners revealed nine new Windows Phone 7 handsets that will be available this holiday season from leading carriers in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific - more than 60 mobile operators in over 30 countries worldwide.

“We have a beautiful lineup in this first wave of Windows Phone 7 handsets,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “Microsoft and its partners are delivering a different kind of mobile phone and experience — one that makes everyday tasks faster by getting more done in fewer steps and providing timely information in a ‘glance and go’ format.”

Windows Phone 7 will be available in a variety of form factors from device-makers such as Dell, HTC, LG, and Samsung, and will include the Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm. Phones will begin shipping for the 2010 holiday season, with more arriving in 2011, including phones from Sprint and Verizon Wireless. In addition, select models will be available at Microsoft Store locations and from Amazon.

Windows Phone 7 is built to integrate well with Microsoft’s other products and services, such as Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Office Mobile, Zune, Windows Live, Bing, and more. The new phones will feature a customizable Start screen with Live Tiles, showing people real-time updates from the Web such as news, appointments, or the status of friends. Live Tiles can be created from whatever content a user wants, such as applications, websites and music. Windows Phone 7 also promises to put the power of Xbox LIVE into the palm of people’s hands with game titles such as Electronic Arts' “Need for Speed Undercover,” “Tetris®” and “The Sims™ 3,” all of which will be Xbox LIVE-enabled, and coming to Windows Phone 7 this fall.

Zune users will be able to use their Windows Phone 7 phones to play their music collection, synced wirelessly from their PC, or stream or download new tunes from Windows Marketplace. A dedicated search button will help people find what they need, across their phone or on the Web, with Bing for mobile Web results, local information, maps, directions and more. Additionally, a free Find My Phone service can remotely ring, lock, erase and show the location of your phone on a map.

The HTC Surround, Samsung Focus, LG Quantum, HTC HD7, and the Dell Venue Pro will all be available in the United States for the holiday season. For more information about Windows Phone 7, visit: www.windowsphone.com