Almost exactly a year ago, Chinese device manufacturer OPPO was rumored to be working on a Windows Phone 8 device that was slated for a 2013 release. If recent images that were posted on Sina Weibo (Twitter's Chinese counterpart) by OPPO’s Social Marketing Director Li Ying Ming are to be believed, then the rumors could be close to coming to fruition. The pictures show what appears to be a mockup (translation: not a real) of OPPO's Android-powered Find 5 running Windows Phone 8.
The fact that the alleged Windows Phone is sporting Nokia-exclusive apps, like Angry Birds Roost, on its start screen tells us that these are renderings. However, they are enough to also tell us that an OPPO Windows Phone 8 device could be a reality.
It could be that OPPO will base its design on the Find 5, or at least incorporate some of the same features. If that is the case, it is likely that, like the Find 5, the phone would have a display with 1080p resolution, a feature that will not be available for Windows Phone 8 until the General Distribution Release (GDR3) update. That would mean that consumers would not see OPPO's Windows Phone on shelves until Fall 2013 at the earliest.
We think that it's a positive sign that another OEM may be entering the Windows Phone arena. It helps build the brand and raise awareness amongst consumers. While Nokia, has far and away seen the most success with Windows Phone, Samsung and HTC have committed to Windows Phone on varying levels and continued to produce consistently. Huawei hit the ground running with the Ascend W1 and Ascend W2 and has also seen a positive response.
But what do you think of another manufacturer entering the fray? Would you be interested in an OPPO Windows Phone 8 device?
