Microsoft is apparently ready to go after Apple's iPhone, and has plans to announce its own Windows-based smartphone early in 2009. Sources familiar with the matter claim that Microsoft will be powered by Nvidia's Tegra processor, according to iTnews Australia.
Microsoft's iPhone competitor is expected to make its first appearance at the 3GSM conference in February with a likely ship date shortly after that.
The Redmond-based company has already tried to take on Apple on its own turf with the Zune portable digital media player. The device was touted by some as an 'iPod killer," but has yet to gain traction against Apple's media players even though it has been on the market for two years.
Should Microsoft move forward with its own smartphone, that could be bad news for other cell phone makers that rely on the company's technology. The device could follow in the Zune's footsteps and take business from Microsoft partners instead of eating away at Apple's marketshare.
Microsoft has not yet officially announced its own smartphone product, so the company's partners still have some time to prepare for the new competition.