Agreed with oldpueblo. I have the epic 4g now, b/c I though going from a hero, with it's teeny tiny screen, i'd want a physical kb. Errrnt. the 4" screen on the epic is enough for the on screen kb to work just as well most times. i rarely use the kb. and when i do use it, it's to making holding the phone easier when i'm watching a video. i have big fat stubby fingers as well. the wife has the epic touch, and the keyboard on that screen is even better than mine.
i think in general, people do buy more touch phones than physical keyboard phones. people want bigger and thinner, i think it's a safe assumption to say that the physical kb lovers are an ever shrinking minority. there may be a lot of phones with physical qwerty's, but not nearly as many as those without, and i'd be willing to put money on the fact that they aren't selling as much as the ones without the kb's as well.
i do think it's a bit of a jump to say sprint has given up on wp7(or 8) b/c of the physical kb, but combining that with only one wp7 in over a year, and nothing but a few random rumors, makes it safe to say, so far, they are giving up. which is killing me, b/c i am up for a new phone, my epic just shattered, and am stuck using a hero, plus the htc x, galaxy nexus, and probably gsiii are all around the corner. It's going to be hard to pass all 3 by to wait for a potentially never coming wp7/8
i don't know if i have the strength!