Usurped by on Android by Samsung, Taiwanese giant HTC is to turn to Microsoft and Windows Phone in a bid to recapture smartphone market share.
The two firms have announced they are working together on the launch of HTC's two new handsets: the 8X and 8S.
Hero phones
Both devices were billed as the "face of Windows Phone 8" during their New York City reveal, with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer appearing on stage to give them his official seal of approaval.
It's a move that will likely antagonise Nokia itself an extremely close partner of Microsoft with HTC claiming with great pride that it had "sold more Windows Phones than anyone else" and has a greater understanding of the platform than any of its rivals.
HTC Windows Phone 8X
"I met with Steve Ballmer earlier this year - we talked about Microsoft's opportunity to go even bigger and better," said HTC CEO Peter Chou.
"We talked about how we needed to do something different to get people really excited about Windows Phone, and we agreed that we have to create hero phones.
"Our integrated marketing needs to focus on those hero phones."
Clean and clear
Indeed, while HTC's first Windows Phone handsets were dubbed by many as refitted Android devices, the 8X and 8S names specifically kept short to deliver "clear branding", according to Ballmer illustrate a bold new appreciation for design on HTC's part.
It's a level of commitment to Microsoft's platform by HTC that arguably had been lacking until this point.
HTC Windows Phone 8S
"We're opening the next chapter in what Peter properly characterises is a very long partnership, and what we are unveiling today is HTC and Microsoft's biggest partnership yet," added Ballmer.
"The HTC team built this hardware from the ground up to really showcase the Windows Phone software."
Knocking Nokia in November
Design wise, HTC claims both handsets are based on Windows Phone's tile-based look.
The 8X the bigger of the two sports a 4.3-inch touchscreen display boasting 720p or 1280x720 resolution and an 8MP camera, as well as a 2.1MP front facing variant.
Inside is a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 processor.
The 4-inch 8S comes with Qualcomm's 1GHz dual-core S4, instead, along with a 5MP camera on the back.
No pricing has yet been revealed, though HTC claims the phones will launch in November across more than 150 carriers and 50 countries, putting them squarely up against Nokia's new Lumia range in the run up to Christmas.
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With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
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