Just a few days after its release, the Windows Phone 7 “jailbreaking” tool ChevronWP7 is no more; the software utility has been 86ed, and is no longer available for download.

Why?  According to its developers, they were contacted by Microsoft Director of Developer Experience for Windows Phone 7 Brandon Watson regarding the tool.  After the conversation(s) an agreement was struck: ChevronWP7 would be pulled in order to “fast-track discussions” with Microsoft regarding “officially facilitating homebrew development on WP7.”

This explanation would seem to indicate an openness within Microsoft to making such tools available in a more official capacity, and if that’s the case, we applaud the move.  But, it’s also possible that this is simply a slapdown couched in public relations feelgoodism, and that we’ll never see anything like ChevronWP7 with any sort of Microsoft endorsement, tepid or otherwise.

For the majority of Windows Phone users – at present, anyway – this doesn’t matter all that much.  But how Microsoft handles situations like the release of ChevronWP7 specifically – and steps toward user freedom and open development in general – will indicate where on the spectrum between iOS and Android OS that Windows Phone will reside.