Samsung, the largest smart phone manufacturer, ratherlargest vendor of mobile phones at all, is planning to dig itstentacles deeper into the smart phone market by launching devices running Windows Phone 8Apollo which will hit the market in the second half of this year.Responding to the questions of reporters, Samsung Taiwan disclosed that it would not be introducing Windows Phone 7 (Mango) in Taiwan, instead looking towards the introduction of Windows Phone 8 (Apollo) handsets this October.The reason being that Mango wasn’t as adept to the higher-end, more feature-packed devices of today’s market, thus its main focus is circulated aroundApollo.

Considering the current dynamics of the smart phones market this is quiet asignificantnews but unfortunately we do not know much about the detailed specs and features of the concerned devices.In February, Samsung’s head of product management, Matt Brum, said:

“[Windows Phone 8] is coming at the end of the year, and will increase the capability of the platform, and Samsung is looking to optimize its devices on that.”

As iOS and Android have a monopoly in mobile OS right now, analysts very interested in how Windows may affect the dynamics of the industry. Nokiacollaboratedwith Microsoft along with other companies to provide OS for its latest handsets including Lumia 900 after ditching its very own user interface, the Symbian OS. This in itself is a considerable step forward in Microsoft’s growing presence in the smart phone market.

To get Samsung on board for its Windows Phone 8 launch was the most sensible thing that Microsoft could have done. After all, the Korean company’s Galaxy S II and Galaxy Nexus, have been two of the most influential android handsets and, aside from the next iPhone, the Galaxy S III is currently the most highly anticipated device among smart phone fanatics.

However, if Apple decides to launch the iPhone 5 in October, then we could be in for an interesting and surprising battle of the brands between Samsung and Apple. There is no doubt that a Samsung-manufactured Windows Phone won’t be much of a competition for Apple’ssixth iPhoneinstallment, but it would certainly make for exciting tussle for smart phone fans tosavor.