Samsung has not given up on Windows Phone and will reportedly launch the ATIV SE for Verizon. The handset will sport a metal body and have Galaxy S4-like specs.
After Microsoft acquired Nokia, it was reported that Windows Phone licensees like Samsung and HTC viewed the acquisition as a conflict of interest. There were reports that both companies were considering ditching Windows Phone because of Nokia and also due to Windows Phone's very slow adoption rate with consumers.
It appears as if at least Samsung has had a change of heart and will launch the Samsung ATIVE SE for Verizon. The handset will share similar specs and design to the Galaxy S4 and it will reportedly be wrapped in metal to give it a more premium feel.
The always-reliable @evleaks posted an image of the smartphone, which has been going by the codename 'Huron' and the image shows a smartphone that looks very similar to the Galaxy S4, complete with a physical Home button. The tipster didn't reveal when Verizon would begin offering the Samsung ATIV SE or what it's expected to cost.
There have been previous leaks on what we can expect from Samsung's upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 when Verizon officially announces it. The smartphone will run the latest version of Windows Phone 8.1, which includes a centralized notification center that's similar to Android and iOS, along with a Siri-like virtual assistant named Cortana among its new features.
The Samsung ATIV SE is expected to feature a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD display, a snappy quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and an Adreno 305 GPU (graphics processing unit). It will include 16GB of internal storage, a microSD expansion slot that will support up to 64GB microSD cards, and 2GB of RAM to keep things running smoothly.
Its camera capabilities will include a 13-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front facing for video chat. Its wireless connectivity options consist of 4G LTE radio, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, and NFC. As previously mentioned, the Verizon Samsung ATIV SE is expected to ditch Samsung's love of plastic for a more premium brushed metal case.
The Samsung ATIV SE will likely retail for $100 when signing a new 2-year contract with Verizon. Once we hear more details concerning its launch date and price, we'll be sure to update you.
