Microsoft is expected to finalize its highly-anticipated Windows 8 software in September, and recent reports indicate that Nokia may unveil its first Windows Phone 8 devices the same month. Chinese Web site WPDang was the first to report that Nokia will likely announce two Lumia Windows Phone 8 handsets on Sept. 5, and a new report from Bloomberg seems to back up those claims. Citing "a person with knowledge of the matter," Bloomberg reported that Nokia may unveil its next-generation handsets "as early as" the Nokia world event next month.

Bloomberg's source, who spoke under condition of anonymity because the plan is not yet public, explained that Nokia plans to announce the new Windows Phone 8-based devices during a roadshow-like invitation-only event scheduled for Sept. 5 and 6 in Helsinki for its operator and retail partners. Bloomberg further reports that the same tipster believes the handsets will go on sale "before the year-end holiday shopping season."

Nokia did not comment on the rumors, but the company has already confirmed that at least one event is scheduled for early September. Unlike the grand Nokia World events of previous years, however, this year the company plans a series of smaller, "more intimate" events. While the first event for carrier and channel partners kicks off Sept. 5, a similarly-timed launch is expected for press as well. An early Nokia unveiling may help the struggling mobile maker gain some early enthusiasm among consumers waiting for Apple's next-generation iPhone. Apple is expected to unveil its latest iPhone on Sept. 12, leaving Nokia and Microsoft with little time to counter potential new hardware additions in its handset.

As Bloomberg points out, Nokia can still benefit from the fact that the $219.1 billion smartphone market keeps expanding. Global smartphone shipments climbed 32 percent to 146 million units in the second quarter, although growth slowed to the lowest in almost three years, according to Strategy Analytics. "What's key for Nokia is to not give up too early," Strategy Analytics' Alex Spektor told Bloomberg. "Most are eager to buy an iPhone or an Android, but this is a long-term play for Nokia. They just have to hang on."

It is not yet clear what the new Nokia smartphones will look like, but the company is expected to mainly stick to the polycarbonate unibody style found on the Lumia 800 and Lumia 900 handsets. We might also see a new flagship, as well as a photo-centric model with some of the advanced camera technology from the Nokia 808 PureView.