 This is Dan Sievert with The Verge and I'm here in New York City where HTC and Microsoft have just unveiled the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S smartphones. The 8X and the 8S represent a new effort from HTC to produce compelling Windows Phone devices that aren't just recycled versions of its existing Android lineup. Without a doubt, these devices are impressive, especially in the case of the Windows Phone 8X. The 8X features some great hardware and some great design and also has some cutting edge specs as well. The new phone's names, Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S, aren't an accident. In fact, they're the result of a close relationship between Microsoft and HTC to produce new signature phones for the Windows Phone 8 line. As the story goes, HTC CEO Peter Chow asked the team to design a new phone from scratch inspired by Windows Phone. The end result impressed Microsoft so much that they partnered for what HTC president Jason McKenzie called a quote, integrated campaign. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the new branding initiative was a big deal and should be great for consumers. We knew that at the end of the day consumers are not buying an operating system. The phone is what's emotional. That's what's going to drive the emotional purchase because that's what you live with every day. And so what we knew we needed to do is really establish a piece of hardware, beautiful design, that consumers would associate with the best of Windows Phone. But it also brings up an interesting question about Microsoft's other big partner for Windows Phone, Nokia. Until this point, Nokia's Lumia line has been synonymous with Windows Phone. But now it's clear that Microsoft isn't putting all of its eggs in Nokia's basket. In fact, just minutes after HTC's event, Nokia quickly released a statement calling the move a tactical rebranding. And Nokia executive Chris Weber tweeted that it takes more than matching color to match the innovations of the Lumia 920. We think it's clear that Nokia feels threatened. Threatened by HTC's renewed relationship with Microsoft, these new devices, and HTC's traditionally strong relationship with US carriers, an area that Nokia has struggled with in the past. Despite HTC's apparent advantages with carriers, it's actually in the same boat as Nokia here. With Windows Phone 8, both companies have to rely on a yet proven platform. Despite Microsoft's promises of grandeur, we have yet to see what Windows Phone 8 actually looks like or how it will perform. In the end, it doesn't matter how combative the two companies are or how they try to differentiate themselves from each other. It's an unproven platform, and it's a risk that both companies equally share.