While the initial interest in Windows Phone 8 will be generated by the launch hardware partners (Nokia, HTC, Samsung, and Huawei), a number of companies have expressed interest in creating Windows Phone 8 devices. While much will depend on how the the first devices are received, those companies wanting to launch Windows Phone 8 devices next year need to start work now, given the long lead times in mobile device development.
Acer
Acer has previously launched a Windows Phone 7 device, the Acer Allegro, but it is not one of the hardware launch partners for Windows Phone 8. It is, however, an important hardware partner for Microsoft in the desktop, laptop and tablet space.
A rough translation of an extract from iMobile's article is provided below:
Chen Guowei said that the initial response to Windows Phone platform "was not good" and that Acer had chosen instead to concentrate on the Android platform.
However, with the launch of Windows Phone 8 it is the right time for "investment in the platform" and Acer is planning to "launch its first Windows Phone 8 devices in the second half of 2013". Chen Guowei expressed confidence in the platform, noting there was a "great deal of potential".
Via: WPDang (Chinese)
ZTE
ZTE has previously launched the ZTE Orbit and ZTE Tania Windows Phone 7.5 devices (and a few related variants). It was the first Chinese manufacturer to release a Windows Phone handset and has launched the ZTE V965W (Tania variant) on China Unicom, China's second biggest operator.
Know Your Mobile reports that a Windows Phone 8 phone is in development:
ZTE will launch a Windows Phone 8-powered device, according to the company’s head of marketing for Europe. Speaking at the launch of the Android Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Grand X, ZTE let slip that a Windows Phone 8 handset is already ‘in development,’ when asked by Know Your Mobile if it was continuing its relationship with Microsoft.
ZTE was not named by Microsoft as a hardware partner at the launch of Windows Phone 8. Until now the only manufacturers linked with the platform were Huawei, Samsung, HTC and Nokia. The company did not go into any more details about the handset, nor did it give any indication of when we can expect a release date.
This report ties in with earlier reports from Suanche, a Chinese language site, that quoted Kan Yu Lun, ZTE's CTO of Mobile Phone Products, as saying ZTE was stepping up their investment in Windows Phone and would be launching new devices in Q2 2013, with a focus on the Chinese market.