Windows Phone 8 is a bargain: Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X both $100 on AT&T

AT&T has finally announced pricing and availability for the flagship Windows Phone 8 devices, and compared to other smartphones, they look like a freaking steal.

The long-awaited Lumia 920 from Nokia and HTC’s Windows Phone 8X will both cost $99.99 with a two-year contract. AT&T will also offer the mid-range Lumia 820 for $49.99. All of the Lumia phones will be available this Friday, November 9th, with pre-orders beginning tomorrow. The 8X will launch sometime “before Thanksgiving.”

The Lumia 920 seems to be the best deal of the bunch, thanks to its killer PureView camera technology (and, judging from my hands-on, superior design). The Lumia 920 also comes with 16 GB of storage, while the entry-level HTC only has a measly 8GB.  AT&T is also including a free wireless charging plate, which allows you to charge the phone without plugging it into any cables.

With the $100 pricing, both devices are continuing a trend that Nokia began earlier this year with the Lumia 900, which kicked off for the same price. Unfortunately, being cheaper than the competition didn’t help sales much for that phone. But with improvements in Windows Phone 8, plus some marketing muscle, Microsoft’s premier Windows Phone manufacturers may finally be able to convince consumers to forgo a new iPhone or Android smartphone.

Photo: Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat