Microsoft has provided detailed recommended hardware configurations for three smartphone categories running Windows 10 Mobile. It has categorized smartphones in “Value Phone”, Value Phablet” and “Premium Phone” categories and has also listed the recommended specifications for various components.
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.
While it is clear that there will be other categories of smartphones than the three listed below, but since the recommended configurations come from Microsoft, we can expect Microsoft to launch Lumias with these recommended configurations that will work as reference for other OEMs.
There are many interesting things to note. All devices are supposed to be with LTE support and premium phones will have 20 MP rear / 5 MP FFC with OIS and Flash. Premium phones need to be less than 7.5 mm thick and less than 160 gm in weight, wow! The premium phones are also recommended to have Windows Hello (Iris Scanner) and Continuum for Phones. So seems Lumia 950 / Lumia 950 XL may be quite thin and light too.
Value Phablet will also have Windows Hello support. So, we can expect Lumia 850 to have Windows Hello (Iris Scanner) support. Minimum RAM is 1 GB but internal storage can be 4 GB.
Windows 10 Mobile smartphones recommended specifications list:
Value Phone | Premium Phone | Value Phablet | |||
Key Features | Low cost | Cortana Continuum for Phones | Cortana | ||
Operating System | Windows 10 Mobile | Windows 10 Mobile | Windows 10 Mobile | ||
Recommended Components | CPU | Supported entry SoC | Supported premium SoC | Mid tier supported SoC | |
RAM/Storage | 1GB / 4-8GB with SD slot | 2-4GB / 32-64GB with SD slot | 2GB /16B with SD slot | ||
Display | 3.5”-5”+ / WVGA -FWVGA-qHD* | 4.5-5.5”+ / FHD-WQHD | 5.5”-7”/720p+ | ||
Dimensions | <10.5mm & <135g | <7.5mm & <160g | <10mm & <175g | ||
Battery | 1400 mAh+ (1 day active use) | 2500+ mAh ( 1 day active use) | 3000 mAh+ ( 1 day active use) | ||
Connectivity | 3G (LTE/Cat 3)/802.11b/g/n, microUSB, 3.5mm jack, BT LE | LTE/Cat 4+ /802.11b/g/n/ac 2×2, USB, 3.5mm jack, BT LE, NFC | 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 | 20MP with OIS/Flash; 5MP FFC | 5MP, .3MP FFC |