Dubai: Smartphone manufacturer HTC has become the first vendor to officially launch Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 8 in the UAE following a global launch on Monday.

“We are confident that Windows Phone 8 will further strengthen our brand awareness and the last four years have been good for us,” Doran Davies, Director of products, HTC Middle East and Africa, told Gulf News.

He said HTC’s Windows Phones are perfectly in line with our mission to place the consumer at the forefront of our business ethos and provide them with lifestyle integrated innovation.

The Taiwanese vendor on Thursday launched two models – HTC 8X and 8S – in bid to rejuvenate its fortunes.

“We have placed a great emphasis on design, colour and incredible specs to blend the virtual and the physical by utilising a three dimensional, pure uni-body design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles,” he said.

HTC 8X features a 4.3-inch HD-resolution super LCD 2 screen while the 8S has 4-inch screen.

According to Gustavo Fuchs, Director, Mobility, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, “Our intention is to make the handset in your hand more personal.”

Microsoft has more than 120,000 apps with more than 5,000 Arabic apps on its apps store and growing by around 300 apps per day.

Fuchs said the apps and games marketplace are available to consumers in the region and Windows Phone 8 now has full Arabic support apart from Turkish, French and Portuguese.

“Users will have access to Xbox Live, which is completely integrated and makes it easier to enjoy the latest video, music and games on the move,” Fuchs said.

“WP8 is a good platform in terms of usability and what it has in terms of personalization. They launched several interesting new features with WP8 such as Kid’s Corner that appeal to families and not only to individuals,” Annette Zimmermann, Principal Analyst, Consumer Markets & Technology and Service Provider Research, Gartner Deutschland GmbH, told Gulf News.

The 8X will be available at Dh1,999 and available soon while the 8S will be available in December and is expected to be priced at around Dh1,500.