The Windows Phone back button is here to stay for now

If ever there was a more controversial button on a phone, we haven’t heard of it.

Recent rumors suggest that Microsoft may be planning to kill off the back button in Windows Phone 8.1. While the requirement for a hardware back button will likely be dropped, sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans have revealed to The Verge that the software maker will replace it with an onscreen version if it goes ahead with the plans. We understand that Microsoft is experimenting with dropping the hardware requirements for back, Start, and search buttons in an effort to lower costs for device manufacturers. Any potential devices without hardware buttons will have buttons on the screen.