AT&T Inc. said Friday it will be the first wireless carrier to offer smart phones running Microsoft Corp.'s new mobile operating system, Windows Phone 7.
Microsoft badly needs a winner, as it has suffered scalding setbacks in the mobile business in recent years.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, based on anonymous sources, that Microsoft will formally unveil the new software Oct. 11, with AT&T selling Windows Phone 7 handsets starting four weeks later.
AT&T offered a brief confirmation.
"AT&T is the premier launch partner," the company said.
One of the first Windows Phone 7 handsets will come from Samsung Electronics Co., whose North American wireless division is based in Richardson.
Samsung said Friday it is making "a long-term commitment to including Windows Phone 7 in its smart phone portfolio."
HTC Corp. and LG Electronics Inc. are also expected to have Windows Phone 7 devices at launch, according to the Journal.
Microsoft has acknowledged falling behind in the smart phone market.

And before they start selling on that date, AT&T and Microsoft are having an event to debut the Windows Phone 7 a month prior — that is on October 11 in the US. Although for the guys in Europe, the rumor mill says that they’ll have the smartphone released on October 21, weeks prior to those in US. A report from the Wall Street Journal also says that aside from Microsoft, AT&T will be launch devices from Samsung, LG & HTC and AT&T will be the exclusive carrier of the Microsoft handset early on.