Software giant, Microsoft has announced the next-generation Windows Phone 8 smartphone operating system that is expected to work on a host of devices.

The company is planning to release a new version of the Windows Phone program in new handsets this fall. The new version is part of the company's plans to compete with rivals including Google and Apple. The new version is the company's first mobile operating system based on the Windows NT kernel.

The Windows Phone 8 will be based on the same core software as the new Windows 8 operating system for personal computers and tablets. This means that the platform will work on different devices at different pricing rage.

The new version of the platform will run multi-core processors and take advantage of higher-quality graphics. This indicates that it will be able to offer a similar efficient performance on several device forms including computers, tablets and smartphones.

The Windows Phone 8 smartphone operating system will come with Near-field communication technology, a new Start Screen as well as support for WVGA, WXGA, and 720p. The platform will also come with Skype integration and Nokia Maps.

The company believes that producing the hardware as well and developing software for a device will allow it to compete better with rivals like Apple. The new version along with a host of new devices including tablet computer that the company is planning to launch, will help the company to compete better with rivals like Google and Apple.