Windows Phone 7 has certainly made an impression since its Barcelona reveal, and the web is currently absorbed in chatter regarding just who is and who isn't backing it.

Confirmed partners include HTC, LG and Samsung, and now Motorola appears to be coming around to the OS.

(We'd also expect Toshiba to announce it's in too.)

Having previously dropped WinMo in favour of Android, Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha has told the Wall Street Journal that the company is now open to the idea of making Series 7 handsets.

It's a statement that reflects Motorola's desire to make a greater impact in the smartphone market. Though reports suggest its Droid handset is helping Motorola lead the way in the US, on a worldwide basis the company is making less of an impression.

Statistics published by Gartner place Motorola fourth in terms of global mobile market share, notching up 4.8 percent of total 2009 sales – down from an 8.7 percent share the previous year.

The chips are up

Chip specialist Qualcomm was quick to pledge its support to Windows Phone 7 too.

 

In a statement released earlier this week, the firm said it is "working with Microsoft and multiple device manufacturers on smartphones powered by its Snapdragon platforms and running Windows Phone 7 Series software".

Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets integrate what the company describes as high-performance, custom CPUs with 3G and multimedia capabilities in a single chip.

It's a set-up Qualcomm believes compliments Windows Phone 7's own distinguished and smart design.

Microsoft's senior VP Andy Lees added co-operation between the two companies will enable the OS to assimilate with consumer's busy, multifaceted lives.

"We've worked closely with Qualcomm on Windows Phone 7 Series software and Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets are an integral part of bringing to life the rich, integrated experiences on a Windows Phone in a way that conserves battery life and provides always-on connectivity," Lees concluded.

WinMo down and out?

But the continued drive behind the forthcoming Series 7 handsets does raise the question as to the future of the current Windows Mobile OS.

Already set to be rebranded as Windows Phone Classic, Microsoft's Alex Reeve has dropped a hint that phones running Windows Mobile 6.5 may be offered an upgrade to the company's new OS.

Reeve made the statement on his Twitter account, responding to a question regarding whether customers who'd recently purchased a handset running 6.5 would be left out in the cold. In reply, Reeve said that it was "early days yet", and that "that's really for our hardware partners to think about".

Regardless, it's the software that runs on WinMo 6.5 that may be of most concern. Reeve's statement follows the news that Skype has withdrawn all of its VoIP apps for the OS, the company's official line being that the apps simply weren't up to scratch.

"This isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly, but the reason is simple. Neither of these apps offered a great Skype experience," Skype's Peter Parkes said on the company's UK blog.

"With the latest version of the Windows Mobile OS, it’s been increasingly challenging for us to maintain an app which behaves as you’d expect on a wide range of handsets without working with a mobile operator partner."

Parkes confirmed that, while the apps have been removed from sale, they will continue functioning for those who already have them.