Microsoft has recently unveiled its next phone operating system – Windows Phone 8 – at a grand event in San Francisco. The new mobile operating system will feature the same technology that will be used by Windows 8, Microsoft’s next operating system for computers and tablets.

With an expected October release, it seems that the race for first smartphones featuring the upcoming operating system has already begun. According to Windows Phone Blog, the first phones to come loaded with Windows Phone 8 will be manufactured by Microsoft’s key partner Nokia, Huawei, Samsung and HTC.

Here’s what Microsoft’s employee and manager of the Windows Phone Program, Joe Belfiore, had to say:

We’re really excited about the strong line-up of hardware partners who are putting their support behind Windows Phone 8. The first wave of devices for Windows Phone 8 will come from Nokia, Huawei, Samsung, and HTC, all built on next-generation chips from Qualcomm.

Qualcomm has also published a blog entry detailing how it is powering Windows Phone 8. PJ Jacobowitz, Marketing Manager of Qualcomm’s Corporate Communications department writes:

Over the past few years, Microsoft has used Snapdragon processors in all of their Windows Phones.

There are many components within the Snapdragon S4 processor that are tied to and powering many of these Windows Phone 8 features.

Source: GSMArena | The Windows Blog | OnQ Qualcomm Blog