I'm not sure about it being a "brick" but if you think it through it suddenly makes sense.
Current DSLR's still have the same shape as 35mm cameras from almost 100 years ago (starting with the Leica) because of their heritage (there is a space for the film cartridge and a space for freshly exposed pictures).
Strip down everything reminding from the film era, and we end up with nothing but a cube with a hole (the K bayonet). A little Hasselblad in that sense. In that cube is the sensor (still with SR) and one, maybe two LCD touch screens and one or two card slots. No controls/knobs other than a lens release button and a shutter button. When the camera is rotated the viewfinder info rotates automatically. No grip, no battery compartment, no viewfinder other than the built-in LCD touch screens.
So this is a barebone, almost industrial looking camera which can be expanded with several options:
- Electronic Eyelevel Viewfinder
- Large external LCD screen
- Battery housing
- Large Battery Housing for extra longevity
- External Battery holder (for use in cold environments)
- AC adapter
- Small grip
- Large grip
- GPS module
- Network module (WiFi/Ethernet)
The idea behind this is that you can feature the camera any way you wish. It will never be bigger than you intend it to based on how you'll use it.
So a bit like the GXR, but much more modular. When seen in this light bundling it with the DA 40/2.8 sounds logical too; this way it'll still look like a brick and not like a "pack of cigarettes with a beercan in front of it".
Of course, this is not based on anything but a faint rumor.