South Korean manufacturer LG Electronics is currently working on its first ever Windows 8 device to launch in 2014, an online leak suggested.

Evleaks revealed in a recent tweet that a new image of an LG phone that features a Windows interface arouses curiosity whether the phonemaker will release a smartphone powered by Microsoft. In 2012, LG confirmed it has no plans of releasing devices powered by Windows as the OS is not feasible to gather sales in the global market, according to a report.

It is no secret that Microsoft's Windows is only a third player in the mobile world following the more preferred platforms of Android and iOS. LG choosing Windows into its upcoming Uni8 device can be a surprising twist considering the manufacturer's previous claims. But it may not be the Windows "sales appeal" that made LG decide to use Windows, but is more on tapping on the business side of smartphones, PCWorld noted.

Microsoft's Windows, although not as popular as Android and iOS, showed a promising growth in usage due to the rising number of Windows-powered devices distributed in the emerging markets. The Microsoft-acquired Nokia with its Lumia series is getting positive response for selling quality handsets in pocket-friendly range of prices.

One of Nokia's phone models to attest to this is Nokia Lumia 520 that bagged a prestigious award for the best low-cost smartphone in the 2014 Global Mobile Awards in February. [Read More]

In April, Microsoft announced it will offer Windows licenses for free on smartphones and tablets with sizes below 9-inches, a move to counter the massive success of Google's Android, which is also offered as a free platform, in a report by Reuters. If leak of the Windows 8 powered LG Uni8 will be true, then it can be a strategic attempt for the South Korean manufacturer to make use of the most of the platform for its own advantage.

Meanwhile, LG Uni8 is not only the LG smartphone grinding in the rumor mill. LG's upcoming flagship, the LG G3, is also starting to become the talk of the town with speculated powerful features to boast. LG. But it did not confirm on any of the emerging reports regarding the leaked LG Uni8 yet. It remains to be seen whether LG will make a success by offering a Windows device.

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