Telefonica O2 UK to debut Huawei's first Windows 8 Phone - the Ascend W1

Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today announces Telefónica O2 UK will be launch partner for its first Windows Phone 8 smartphone, the Huawei Ascend W1. The Ascend W1 is a powerful entry-level smartphone, featuring a dual-core processor and a remarkable long-lasting battery, which brings the incredible Windows Phone 8 experience to a much broader audience.

Huawei Device UK and Ireland Executive Vice President Mark Mitchinson said: "Windows Phone 8 is tremendously exciting in terms of both its functionality and the practical benefits it delivers. With the Ascend W1, Huawei has created a product to put this fresh smartphone experience within reach of a much wider audience. O2's record of championing innovative brands and technologies is remarkable, and we are delighted to partner with it for launch of the Ascend W1 in the UK."

Telefónica O2 UK General Manager for Devices David Johnson said: "We want to bring Windows Phone 8 to as many of our customers as possible and we're really pleased to be working with Huawei to launch the Ascend W1. The Huawei Ascend W1 looks great in blue or pink and brings the power of personalisation to a whole new audience with its affordable price."

Specifications

The Ascend W1 has an elegant 10.5mm slim body and a bright 4-inch IPS LCD 480 x 800 touchscreen with OGS Technology. It is powered by the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8230 dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and Adreno 305 GPU.

With a 1950 mAh battery, the Ascend W1 has up to 470 hours[ii] of standby time, the longest among smartphones in its class. It features a low reflective IPS LCD display with full lamination technology, providing brilliant visibility under any lighting condition. It also has a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, and includes 4GB on-board memory, expandable to 32GB with a micro SD card.

The Windows Phone 8 start-screen lets you customize and pin Live Tiles with topics of personal interest, providing real-time updates that are uniquely yours. Additionally, a dynamic lock screen allows you to select the photos or updates most important to you and have them ready at a glance, even when the phone is locked.

The Ascend W1 is a smart and stylish alternative for consumers looking for great technology at a price that is right.

Availability

The Ascend W1 will be available from Telefónica O2 in the UK in blue and ruby-pink. It is expected to be available in Q1 2013. Detail of pricing will be available closer its release.