We know there will be at least 12 Nokia Windows Phone designs expected to be released in 2012 but as to how they'll look and handle that's still under wraps. However, it looks like the hardware is falling into place as both Qualcomm and ST Ericsson, with its dual-core CPUs have been lined up on the starting block. Find out more about Nokia Windows Phone to use Qualcomm and ST Ericsson chips after the jump...

Windows Phone devices have until this point been tied to Qualcomm processors as part of the Microsoft guidelines for third-party developers.

However, that looks like it's all changed as at least some of the Nokia Windows Phone devices will use silicon from ST-Ericsson, according to Carlo Bozotti, the Chief Executive of European semiconductor maker STMicroelectronics in a report over at Forbes.

This break away from the norm is exactly the kind of innovation we've been expecting from Nokia and bodes well for the first flight of Nokia Windows Phone devices as it means we're likely to see dual-core chips meeting the needs of those who get obsessed by high-speeds. In other chip news, it seems that Qualcomm isn't totally out of the picture, as a story over at Reuters states that the "The first Nokias based on Windows Phone will have the Qualcomm chipset," said a Nokia spokesman”.

It seems that Nokia is making sure it has a wide a supplier base a possible for its move into Windows Phone, which is great news as it means we'll see Nokia Windows Phone smartphone at all price points and not just the high-end.

What chip do you want to see in your Nokia Windows Phone device or do you not mind?

Let us know your thoughts in the Comments below.