The Windows Phone version of the HTC One (M8) smartphone won’t be a Verizon exclusive forever. That’s the word this morning from AT&T, which announced that it will be carrying the new Microsoft-powered device at an unspecified future date.
The addition of AT&T promises to expand the reach of the new device and give Microsoft a better chance of filling out the ecosystem for Windows Phone beyond its own Nokia hardware. Yesterday’s news that the device would be a Verizon exclusive at launch raised questions about Microsoft’s prospects for expanding the footprint of its mobile operating system.
The impact of carrier exclusives was evident in the launch of Amazon’s Fire Phone as an AT&T exclusive, hindering sales of that device.
AT&T says it will have further details on pricing and availability for its version of the HTC One (M8) Windows Phone “at a later date.” The AT&T product page says it’s “coming soon.”
We’ve also contacted T-Mobile and Sprint to see if they will be carrying the new HTC Windows Phone.
