At WinHec Microsoft revealed 2 interesting hardware requirements for Windows 10 Mobile.
The first is that the OS will be supported on screen sizes from 3 to 7.99 inches.
With the trend to ever larger screens the higher number is easy to understand, but the 3 inch minimum would make for a pretty compact device which may even be somewhat difficult to control by finger alone (unless they are sharpened of course).
The second is however even more puzzling.
According to the list of Optional Components on Windows 10 “Mobile” phones Touch is clearly optional (vs a cellular radio, speaker and earpiece, which is Required).
This suggests that OEMs may in fact be able to build phones with no touch screens at all, but which are merely controlled by hardware buttons.
Now Windows 10 Mobile will in fact support pointers/mice, meaning a D-pad or trackball should be able to control the OS reasonably well, and in some ways may be a better solution for really small, possibly really cheap devices.
Can our readers see themselves every buying a very phone-like Windows Phone?