ZTE to support Windows Phone 7 platform

ZTE has confirmed that it has Windows Phone 7 devices in development, but handsets won't ship until 2012 unless there is a huge surge in demand for the platform.

The firm is monitoring the market demand for Windows Phone 7, explained Wu Sa, ZTE's UK director of mobile device operations, at a London press event today.

"The usability of the device and support from networks are the important factors that dictate our platform strategy," he said.

"The priority will be given to the platform where demand is the strongest. Whether we expedite that development process [for Windows Phone 7] will be largely driven by market demands."

In addition to Android and Windows, ZTE is also developing devices with three other platforms, one of which is MeeGo, Wu Sa told V3.co.uk.

ZTE had a successful 2010, reporting a year-on-year profit increase of 32 per cent. The manufacturer shipped a total of 63 million handsets worldwide, although smartphone sales accounted for a modest two million.

Overall handset volumes are predicted to increase to 120 million this year and ZTE estimates shipments to hit the 250 million market by 2015.

The firm aims to ship 24 million mobile devices in Europe this year, and is prepping to release its high-end Skate smartphone and Light tablet in the UK in the second half of 2011.

The 4.3in Skate will ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 4.3in touch screen, and 800MHz ARM 11 processor. ZTE will also build in a compass, together with Wi-Fi, GPS and HSDPA/UMTS connectivity.

It is unclear at this stage whether the Skate will be rebranded and prices are still to be confirmed. The ZTE Blade was previously launched in the UK as the Orange San Francisco, but with the firm aiming to increase market awareness this may not be the case with the next device.

Meanwhile, 7in and 10in versions of the firm's Android-based ZTE Light tablet are also expected to be released in the UK this year.