Windows Phone 8 hits RTM, gets handed over to hardware partners

According to two sources close to WPCentral, Windows Phone 8 has reached a milestone: release to manufacturing (RTM). The news comes with a photo that is reportedly from a Windows Phone 8 team member, that shows individuals autographing a sign that shows that the mobile OS has reached the RTM stage.

Microsoft's latest mobile OS is now ready for hardware partners, who will bake the OS into their latest slew of handsets. It is now time for OEMs to get the OS onto their devices and work through any problems, as well as optimize drivers for their smartphones.

This means that we will see Windows Phone 8-powered devices in early-November with The Verge confirming this themselves.