Microsoft lowers the requirements partners must meet in 7- or 8-inch Windows 8/RT tablets-- such devices must handle minimum resolutions of 1024x768 instead of the previous resolution requirement of 1366x768.
"This doesn't imply that we're encouraging partners to regularly use a lower screen resolution," the March Windows Certification Newsletter says. "In fact, we see customers embracing the higher resolution screens that make a great Windows experience... partners exploring designs for certain markets could find greater design flexibility helpful."
The move no doubt points towards the popularity of inexpensive, smaller tablets currently on the shelves, such as the Nexus 7, iPad mini and the Kindle Fire.
The lower display resolution does sacrifice one Windows 8 feature-- snap, the handy multitasking option allowing users to run x2 apps next to each other. However one would still be able to snap apps if a tablet is attached to an external display supporting resolutions of 1366x768 or higher.
The newsletter also the latest Microsoft definition of a tablet, one that does not include touch all-in-one PCs with a battery. According to the company the term "tablet" is restricted to devices with a display 17-inches in size or less.
"Above [17-inch] touch systems without batteries and attached accessible keyboards don't need to meet all of the tablet requirements," Microsoft says.
However a question remains-- will vendors actually make 7-inch Windows tablets? And, more importantly, will customers even want such devices in the first place?
