The truth is no other vendor was taking WP7 seriously. Samsung and HTC merely dipped their toes in, in order to hedge against Android. No one has marketed a WP7 as a top-shelf phone the way HTC Evo or Samsung Galaxy S were promoted.

This could be a confirmation of the rumors that WP7 sales are poor, and they seek to pivot towards a closed arrangement.

If this deal were to actually happen, which is speculation at this point, it probably means that licensing disappears or plays a much smaller role.