Pocket-Lint has been briefed by Microsoft top brass, coming back with the full line-up of manufacturers to be launching Windows Phone 7 handsets in Q4.

HTC, LG and Samsung are joined by mobile newbies Dell and Asus on day one for Microsoft, but details on particular handsets or form factors remain elusive.

Greg Sullivan, senior product manager for Microsoft, also clarified the lack of network exclusivity for mobiles running the new mobile operating system, citing that they ‘want as many people as possible to be able to get it’.

“We will offer the best aspects of Android and the best of the iPhone, giving users the flexibility of different form factors, but with the rigidity of apps that are guaranteed to work on every device that is out there”.

Sounds like a good strategy to us, as the impressive Palm Pre could well have been doomed from the start by launching as an exclusive on the only network that also offered the iPhone…

Whilst some app developers have recently taken receipt (and showed off) their Samsung-based Windows Phone 7 devices, we know little more about the handsets from other manufacturers due for release this Winter.

The HTC Gold was leaked on a roadmap as the Taiwanese manufacturer’s debut handset, whilst LG’s ‘Panther’ phone was apparently alluded to by Sullivan, now branded the ‘Pacific’.

April’s leaky line-up of Dell phones did reveal the Lightning as an WinMo monster, sporting a 4.1-inch OLED display, 8GB of storage and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. We’re sure Asus won’t be far behind with their effort…

Strong initial handsets will be key to the success of Windows Phone 7, and we eagerly anticipate Microsoft’s return to a now very crowded smartphone arena.

Tags: asus, Dell, htc, LG, lg pacific, lg panther, lightning, Microsoft, samsung, Windows Phone 7