Samsung confirms Windows Phone 8 Apollo handset in the works

Samsung's Taiwanese division has confirmed the company will launch a Windows Phone 8 Apollo handset towards the end of 2012.

According to Taiwanese news site ePrice, Samsung is aiming to get a new phone on Windows Phone 8 out the door during the second half of the year.

The South Korean manufacturer isn't a stranger to Microsoft's Windows Phone platform, having already released models such as the Omnia 7 in 2011, but this is the first time it has mentioned developing a product for the forthcoming new build.

Microsoft is expected to launch Windows Phone 8 around October but it's not exactly surprising given the timescale that  a device is already under development in Samsung's labs.

Having said that it's noteworthy that Samsung is keeping faith in Microsoft's platform. Overall Windows Phone hasn't done that well since its launch, certainly Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer has commented that he'd hoped it would sell better.

Not only that, but of all the manufacturers using the platform Nokia has done better than the rest with around 80 per cent of Windows Phones sold in Europe being Lumia models. Despite this, recent reports have shown Nokia is still having a rough time of it.

Consequently, we daren't imagine what sales figures of Samsung Windows Phones might look like but we're guessing they're not particularly good right now.

So, for Samsung to stay in the Windows Phone game, especially when the performance of its Galaxy range on Android is so good, is perhaps telling of what Windows Phone 8 Apollo has in store.

HTC has previously confirmed it will also be working on a range of Windows Phone Apollo devices.

By some accounts it'll be as revolutionary a change as Windows Phone 7 was from its predecessors.