Maybe ISO 9001:20xx eliminates the requirement for a QM....
Actually, it does. For those who attended the
webinar by Dr. Nigel Croft on the ISO 9001:2015 and received a copy of the presentation material, they know that the future version of all ISO Management System Standards will (in principle) follow the High Level Structure from the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1.
The structure of the future ISO 9001 will include:
1. Scope
2. Normative references
3. Terms and definitions
4. Context of the organization
5. Leadership
6. Planning
7. Support
8. Operation
9. Performance evaluation
10. Improvement
As one can tell, no specific high level requirement for a manual. Under Section 7.5, we will see requirements for "Documented Information", which gives an opening for a TC, such as TC 176 to insert a requirement for a quality manual, should they choose to do so, but no explicit mention/requirements to Manuals in the template structure. Hallelujah...
PS Attached a copy of the annex 3 of the Consolidated ISO Supplement – Procedures specific to ISO.