Microsoft's Elop: AT&T will sell Lumia 830 for the holidays

Microsoft's Lumia 830 smartphone has a new home at AT&T. The colorful Windows Phone-powered handset, which was unveiled last week at the IFA consumer electronics trade show, will come to AT&T during the holidays, said Stephen Elop, head of Microsoft's devices business. Elop was speaking at a keynote at the CTIA wireless trade show here on Tuesday.

Nokia touts the Lumia 830 as an affordable smartphone with premium features such as the PureView camera found on its elite devices. AT&T getting the smartphone represents a continued strong relationship between the carrier and Elop, who ran Nokia before the devices business was acquired by Microsoft. AT&T was the earliest supporter of the Nokia Lumia line of Windows Phone devices.

"The role of phones within Microsoft is different than it was with Nokia," Elop said. "At Nokia, it was about getting devices in your hand. At Microsoft, it's about bringing the whole experience to people, and getting them to use more services."

Elop and AT&T declined to provide specific information on availability and pricing. It's worth noting that Elop made no mention of Apple's big iPhone and smartwatch unveiling today. In fact, he made no mention of Apple at all, aside from one vague reference to optimal image stabilization, which Nokia has touted with its own Lumia PureView camera phones.