Given Microsoft has long marked off autumn as the launch period for its next major Windows Phone update – dubbed Mango – the suggestion September will see the roll out of the first new handsets running the fresh OS is far from surprising.

Pinning down its debut, however, remains key, purely because of the weight being rested on Mango's shoulders.

By Microsoft's own admission, Windows Phone's ascent has been slow despite analysts aplenty predicting big things for the OS.

Strong support

Mango, which will sport 500 new features including HTML5 support and Twitter integration, is being billed as the trigger to kick start the platform's momentum.

The update itself is predicted to roll out to existing handsets in August. Fresh devices from HTC, Samsung and LG, however, are expected one month later, according to manufacturing sources cited by DigiTimes.

The site also quotes sources who state Nokia will unveil its first batch of Windows Phone handsets at Nokia World 2011 to be held in October, following on from – rather than leading – the competition.

The first Nokia handset – dubbed 'Sea Ray' – was shown to the press behind closed doors back in June.

Nokia has suffered a fall in smartphone shipments as it prepares to adopt Windows Phone, dropping to third place globally behind Apple and Samsung in the most recent quarter.

[source: DigiTimes]