September marks the beginning of the iPhone season. However, Nokia recently announced an event on September 5, a week before Apple's rumoured iPhone 5 event. Sources expect Nokia to announce new Windows Phone 8 devices.

Nokia will hold the event alongside Microsoft, suggesting that Windows Phone will be on the agenda. According to Reuters, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said on Wednesday that Nokia will produce new Windows Phone 8 devices.

A leaked photo of a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device appeared online, showing a change from the rectangular Lumia 800 and 900 designs. Instead, the new device is curved, looking similar to the concept shots Nokia showed around the time it announced the partnership with Microsoft in 2011.

Nokia's Lumia 710, 800, and 900 devices will be frozen out when Windows Phone 8 arrives. The next-generation version of Windows Phone uses the Windows NT Kernel, not supported in Windows Phone 7, so older devices will get Windows Phone "7.8," a feature-limited version of the mobile operating system.

When asked about a September launch date for a device, Elop told reporters that smartphones will be released "relatively" in the near term. Windows Phone 8 could launch around October or November, so a launch alongside Windows 8 on October 26, 2012, may not be a surprise to consumers. Microsoft is pushing simultaneous cross-software development for the upcoming platforms.

This is an important launch for Nokia. Despite its Lumia devices selling 4 million units, with the Lumia 900 low budget on AT&T, the sales numbers pale in comparison to the numbers Apple and Google post. If Apple convinces users that the iPhone 5 is a worthwhile upgrade, then it could see strong sales numbers again.

"I don't think we are rewinding the clock and thinking about competing elsewhere," Elop added to the reporters. He continued by saying Nokia is "fighting that [war against Apple and Google] with Windows Phones". The refocusing away from Symbian and MeeGo did not see a warm reception from Nokia employees.