Microsoft details hardware requirements for Windows 10 phones, phablets, and tablets

Microsoft has published hardware requirements for Windows 10 Mobile devices that span smartphones, phablets, and tablets. The specifications give us more details on what the company is requiring device makers to produce if they want to ship their products with Windows 10.

These are of course only recommendations. We will definitely see manufacturers that choose to exceed the requirements, as well as others that try to undercut them. Nonetheless, they paint an interesting picture as to where Microsoft is setting the bar. All of the devices support Cortana, from the smallest and cheapest to the biggest and most expensive.

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First up, we have phones, which Microsoft defines thusly:

Smartphones come in a wide range of sizes from low cost phones, small tablets (phablets) and industrial handheld devices. A typical smartphone combines cellular connectivity, a touch screen, rechargeable power source, and other components into a single chassis. Windows 10 Mobile can support a wide range of small form factors devices. Listed below are a few recommended hardware configurations.

Microsoft lists two phones and one phablet in this category.

A few observations jump out right away. Only the value phone doesn’t support Windows Hello, and only the premium phone supports Continuum for Phones. The premium phone has more memory, more storage, and a better camera when compared not just with the value phone, but with the value phablet as well. The value phablet is of course larger, heavier, and has a bigger battery.

Speaking of the battery, Microsoft requires at least one day of active use out of all three devices. The oddest part is probably that USB 3.0 Type-C is required for the value phablet, but not the premium phone.

A Windows 10 value phone must offer the following.

• CPU: Supported entry System on chip
• RAM/Storage: 1GB / 4-8GB with SD slot
• Display: 3.5”-5”+ / WVGA -FWVGA-qHD*
• Dimensions: <10.5mm & <135g
• Battery: 1400 mAh+ (1 day active use)
• Connectivity: 3G (LTE/Cat 3)/802.11b/g/n, microUSB, 3.5mm jack, BT LE
• Camera: 5MP, .3MP FFC

A Windows 10 premium phone must offer the following.

• CPU: Supported premium System on chip
• RAM/Storage: 2-4GB / 32-64GB with SD slot
• Display: 4.5-5.5”+ / FHD-WQHD
• Dimensions: <7.5mm & <160g
• Battery: 2500+ mAh ( 1 day active use)
• Connectivity: LTE/Cat 4+ /802.11b/g/n/ac 2×2, USB, 3.5mm jack, BT LE, NFC
• Camera: 20MP with OIS/Flash; 5MP FFC

A Windows 10 value phablet must offer the following.

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• CPU: Mid tier supported System on chip
• RAM/Storage: 2GB /16B with SD slot
• Display: 5.5”-7”/720p+
• Dimensions: <10mm & <175g
• Battery: 3000 mAh+ ( 1 day active use)
• Connectivity: LTE/Cat 3 /802.11b/g/n/ac 2×2, USB 3.0 Type-C, 3.5mm jack, BT LE, NFC
• Camera: 5MP, .3MP FFC

Now let’s talk about tablets. Here is how Microsoft defines them:

Tablets are a versatile form factor that overlap the smartphone and notebook industry. A tablet device combines a touch screen, rechargeable power source, and other components into a single chassis with an optional attachable keyboard.

While some of these are already on sale, it’s interesting to see how Microsoft is straddling the line between phablets and tablets.

The 7-inch tablet supports Continuum for Phones despite the fact that, well, it’s not a phone. This is because Microsoft wants this small tablet size to run Windows 10 Mobile, and not Windows 10 for PCs. It’s also the only tablet that doesn’t support USB Type-C.

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Only the large tablet supports Windows Hello. Everything else scales as you’d expect, though the smaller tablet has the longer battery life requirement.

A 7-inch Windows 10 tablet must offer the following.

• CPU: Supported entry System on chip
• RAM/Storage: 1-2GB/8-32GB eMMC w/SD card
• Display: 7” 480×800 or 1280×720 w/touch
• Dimensions: <9mm & <.36kg
• Battery: 10+ hours
• Connectivity: 802.11ac+, 1 micro USB 2.0, mini HDMI, BT, LTE option
• Audio/Video: Front camera, speakers, headphones

An 8-inch Windows 10 tablet must offer the following.

• CPU: Entry x86
• RAM/Storage: 1GB+ / 32GB+ SSD
• Display: 8” / HD+
• Dimensions: <9mm & <227g
• Battery: 8+ hours
• Connectivity: 802.11ac, USB 3.0, HDMI, BT LE, NFC, LTE Option
• Audio/Video: Front camera, speakers, headphones, full array microphones

A large Windows 10 tablet must offer the following.

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• CPU: Entry x86
• RAM/Storage: 4GB+ / 32GB+ SSD
• Display: 10.1” – 12.5” / FHD+
• Dimensions: <10mm & <.6kg
• Battery: 8+ hours
• Connectivity: 802.11ac, USB 3.0, HDMI, BT LE, NFC, LTE Option
• Audio/Video: Front & rear camera, speakers, headphones, full array microphones

Windows 10 Mobile is expected to launch this quarter. Microsoft is hosting a Windows 10 hardware event in New York on October 6, where it will likely unveil the first two smartphones that leverage the new operating system.

VentureBeat will be reporting live from the event.