Well, we certainly didn't expect this. Once again The Verge has some exclusive intel to share with the world, and surprisingly enough it's not about Windows Phone 8.

Their informative sources have tipped the site off to the existence of a new Nokia device, which goes by the codename Glory. The handset will have a 4-inch screen and will ship with Windows Phone 7.8. Yes, the update that adds the new Start screen and possibly some new features to existing 7.5 devices will be sold alongside next-generation handsets running Windows Phone 8. It may seem like a peculiar decision, but the source says the phone is intended as a successor to the Lumia 610 which was the first low-end 'Tango' handset of its kind.

We were wondering just how Microsoft would tackle the Tango situation once Windows Phone 8 was released, and it appears as though 7.x devices could live on as low-end devices. It's a questionable decision for sure, especially because apps coded for the new platform won't run on older devices. That almost completely shuts out most new games from running on the 7.x devices and possibly even apps that leverage the powerful new capabilities of Windows Phone 8, unless developers do the hard work of converting them back into Silverlight.

Regardless, the Glory is not expected to be a part of this Wednesday's Microsoft-Nokia joint press event.

Source: The Verge