Documents from Microsoft reveal the company now allows manufacturers to make tablets running Windows Phone. Microsoft now also offers manufacturers the possibility to use firmware without phone functionality.
The company offers firmware from which it has removed all functionality related to calling and connections to mobile networks and calls it the 'Wifi Feature Pack'. The information is posted on the Microsoft website on a page for manufacturers.
On the same page Microsoft states it from now on allows screen sizes of 6.01" to 7" with a fixed resolution of 1280x768 pixels. Both changes combined means that manufacturers are able and allowed to make up to 7 inch tablets using Windows Phone. Until now, Microsoft only allowed Windows Phone on Phones.
With Windows RT the company already has an operating system optimized for tablets and it seems that's the only OS the company allows on 10" tablets. Google's Android and Apple's iOS both run on tablets and phones.
The change is another signal that Microsoft wants unify its operating systems. Microsoft's CEO Nadella already announced the company would merge all its major Windows versions into one.
