Re: Is that hardware keyboard really, REALLY necessary?
For me, yes.
I'm quite happy typing on my Q5, though I now no longer keep a sim in it, it is now mostly just a media player now (remarkably good sound via bluetooth).
I have replaced it with a 10 inch tablet which is about what I need for a touchscreen to be useful. The tablet is a Yuntab, dual sim and cost £60, and the first Chinese budget phone that I purchased as a stop gap, that I has been good enough to keep using.
I don't find Android a good enough quality system to justify an expensive phone to run it.
I don't see myself buying another (pocket sized) smartphone.