The rumor first popped from the followed closely by a similar story in .
HELP:
The China Times story, , seems to say Microsoft has contracted smartphone developers and assemblers in China to build a Microsoft-branded Windows Phone 8 phone for sale sometime next year.
Boy Genius Report saying Microsoft plans to release the Surface smartphone in the coming months to compete against iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III and other high-end phones.
Surface is the name of Microsoft's tablet/laptop that is scheduled to launch Oct. 26 along with the Windows 8 operating system.