Microsoft Hacked Symbian Samsung i8910 HD Into a Windows Phone 7 Series

At MIX10, Microsoft used a Samsung phone that resembled the original Microsoft Asus-sourced hardware, but Samsung says it didn't build that particular phone. Instead, it seems that Microsoft had obtained a Samsung i8910 HD, a Symbian model that isn't available in the US, and swapped out some components to make it meet the specs requirements for Windows Phone 7 Series.

The Redmond, Washington software maker changed the three buttons on the bottom to match the Windows Phone 7 Start, Back, and Search requirements, added a Qualcomm Snapdragon (or compatible CPU) processor, and included a WVGA screen--all of which are absent in the consumer release version of the Symbian powered Samsung i8910 HD. According to Samsung, "The launch was from Microsoft, not Samsung, and they used the i8910HD to demo Windows 7."

Samsung is listed as a Windows Phone 7 Series partner so even if the i8910 HD doesn't get a lobotomy from its Symbian roots and get a Windows Phone OS transplant, we can expect something from Samsung.

(via: TechRadar)