AT&T Debuts New Nokia Windows Phone

AT&T Inc. introduced a new Nokia Corp. smartphone, the second device from Nokia to run Windows software in the U.S. and the first to operate on a fourth-generation network. The device follows T-Mobile USA's introduction of the lower-cost Lumia 710 last year and bolsters AT&T's 4G LTE network device portfolio. AT&T said Nokia would reveal details later at a presentation in Las Vegas as part of the Consumer Electronics Show. The carrier has rolled out the mobile broadband network to cover more than 70 million Americans, though it still lags rival Verizon Wireless, which reached more than 200 million by the end of last year. HTC Corp. Chief Executive Peter Chou also introduced the Titan II smartphone, featuring a 4.7-inch screen and 16-megapixel camera, that will go on sale later this year. The handsets are part of Nokia's re-entry into the U.S. after partnering with Microsoft to jointly develop the Windows software. The company is betting Windows can help it play catchup to rivals HTC and Samsung Electronics Co., which sell handsets running Android software, as well as Apple Inc.'s iOS on the popular iPhone smartphones. Ralph de la Vega, chief executive of AT&T Mobility, said he saw "tremendous potential" in Microsoft's smartphone operating software. He was joined by Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer and Nokia chief Stephen Elop in introducing the device. Microsoft has to play some catchup to Google Inc.'s Android and Apple Inc.'s iOS mobile software. Android had 46.9% of the U.S. market, as of November, followed by iOS with 28.7%, compared with just 5.2% for Windows, according to comScore. Research In Motion Ltd. had 16.6% of the market, comScore said.