It’s only been a week since we unveiled the Windows Phone 8X and 8S and it seems everyone is talking about these bold new designs.  This week, we sat down with HTC product planner Anthony Rutter to talk about this new pair of smartphones.

Larry Meadows: (LM) There’s a lot of excitement for the new Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC, tell us what’s changed since Windows Phone 7.5?
Anthony Rutter (AR): One of the first things people will notice is the level of customization available in Windows Phone 8.  Live Tiles now support multiple sizes, each of which give a different level of information.  This gives people a greater level of flexibility in how they set up their phone and really make it personal.

From a technical side, there’s support for features such as HD screens, multi-core processors,  encryption, and the 8X and 8S are the only Windows Phones with Beats Audio.   Plus, we’ve made some major improvements to the main and front-facing cameras.

LM: Tell us more about the improvements made in the camera and what they mean for customers.

AR: One of the most impressive features is the front-facing camera in the 8X.  We’ve all been in a situation where we want a photo of ourselves, either with a group of friends or alone while sightseeing for example.  In the past, front-facing cameras were much lower quality.  With the 8X, we’ve introduced a 2.1 MP front-facing camera with an F/2.0 lens; basically, the camera lens lets more light in, making it easier to take crisper pictures.  But my favorite feature with the front-facing camera is the super wide angle lens. You won’t find another phone with a camera like this on the market.

LM: How has the Windows Phone App Store evolved over the last year?
AR:  You know, developers are really getting on board and there has been huge growth in the number of Windows Phone apps.  But keep in mind, it’s about having the right apps that customers want and use available.  The app store for Windows Phone will continue to grow, but the primary focus is on delivering the apps that meet customers’ needs.

LM: What new feature do you think customers will like most?
AR:  It’s hard to pinpoint a single feature.  Windows Phone has always had a clean, intuitive UI (user interface) that made it very easy to use; which is probably why Windows Phone has a really high customer satisfaction rate.  The re-sizable Live Tiles in Windows Phone 8 make it really easy to make your phone personal – I really think they’ve struck a good balance between simplicity and personalization that will impress power users and first-timers alike.  But ultimately the design of the phones, and these bold new colors, really draws people in; I think once people hold these phones they’ll walk to a checkout counter and make them their own.