One of Microsoft’s more prominent announcements in 2016 was that Windows 10s will run on ARM processors, breaking Intel’s lock on the Windows platform. However, it has now been further announced that Arm based Qualcomm processers will power the one time smartphone-focused Windows 10 Mobile, which was surprisingly followed by the further announcement that also included will be the full version of Windows 10 that run Microsoft's desktop PCs. In the foregoing a new generation of PC device's are to be developed powered by the latest Qualcomm 835 processers
Not only will Windows 10 devices run on ARM processors, but full desktop apps like Office 2016 and Adobe Photoshop will run on them also. By various accounts, Windows 10 PCs and laptops will first arrive with above Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors sometime late this year. ARM support for Windows 10 is important because it makes a wider range of device types possible. ARM processors are usually more power-efficient than Intel’s PC processors, and system-on-chip solutions like the Snapdragon 835 include cellular communications and LTE data connectivity built-in.
Microsoft and Qualcomm have already collaborated on a new “cellular PC” concept that will bring extremely thin and light PC notebooks with LTE data. By all accounts, the Snapdragon 835 will be fast enough to support both the core Windows 10 operating system and the emulation engine that will allow it to run full desktop Windows applications.
According to Qualcomm major device manufacturers are on board, with a number of Windows 10 machines set to use the Snapdragon 835 arriving later in 2017. These will be midrange devices in terms of price, but there will not be a great range of them at launch. As Keith Kressin, Qualcomm’s senior vice president for product management stated, “It will start limited, but you will see more device's and system setups as we head into 2018 and 2019. It’s a patient move into the market, and establishing a new value proposition.”
While nobody expects these ARM-based Windows 10 machines to perform like high-end Intel-based PC gaming systems and workstations at startup, they should provide good enough performance for the majority of productivity and general computing tasks. It’s reasonable to expect cellular PCs to arrive at some point in smartphone-sized packages, which would fulfill the long promised full Microsoft Windows 10 Surface phone conseption. If Microsoft extends its Windows 10 Mobile Continuum concept to running desktop apps with the smallest cellular PCs being attached wirelessly to external displays, keyboards, and mice, then the holy grail of a single computing device that can meet all of a user’s computing needs could be realized.
Other possibilities include support for Windows 10 Holographic for virtual reality (VR) applications based on the new VR and mixed-reality capabilities built into Windows 10 Creators Update. The Snapdragon 835 supports the majority of PC components such as USB, and therefore cellular PCs should enjoy robust peripheral support as a result.
Some of the main details remain sketchy, but Qualcomm and Microsoft are clearly committed to bringing new power efficient, thin, and light Windows 10 machines to the market. However, with full support for Windows desktop applications, the new cellular PC platform should avoid the Windows RT debacle that saw Microsoft’s original Surface PC fail in the market, while ushering in a new kind of PC that lets users work anywhere without compromise.
The foregoing also brings the prospect of the present android two and a half million mainly casual gaming apps being brought to the Windows platform with all the improved user experience that would bring and with that very much expanded sales prospects for the Microsoft windows platform.
As stated, the foregoing will be limited at first release, but if the rapid rate of Qualcomm Arm based technology continues on as at present then the prospect of high end gaming based on Arm architecture may be forthcoming in the not to distant future. For high end gamers that would mean lower cost, small, quieter and cooler running systems that would have a much larger range of both high end and casual games on offer to them along with LTE mobile connectivity.
Quite a prospect, therefore "bring it on" I feel. High time that new ideas and technology came to the to-long moribund Intel based Windows system and platform.
Bill
Not only will Windows 10 devices run on ARM processors, but full desktop apps like Office 2016 and Adobe Photoshop will run on them also. By various accounts, Windows 10 PCs and laptops will first arrive with above Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors sometime late this year. ARM support for Windows 10 is important because it makes a wider range of device types possible. ARM processors are usually more power-efficient than Intel’s PC processors, and system-on-chip solutions like the Snapdragon 835 include cellular communications and LTE data connectivity built-in.
Microsoft and Qualcomm have already collaborated on a new “cellular PC” concept that will bring extremely thin and light PC notebooks with LTE data. By all accounts, the Snapdragon 835 will be fast enough to support both the core Windows 10 operating system and the emulation engine that will allow it to run full desktop Windows applications.
According to Qualcomm major device manufacturers are on board, with a number of Windows 10 machines set to use the Snapdragon 835 arriving later in 2017. These will be midrange devices in terms of price, but there will not be a great range of them at launch. As Keith Kressin, Qualcomm’s senior vice president for product management stated, “It will start limited, but you will see more device's and system setups as we head into 2018 and 2019. It’s a patient move into the market, and establishing a new value proposition.”
While nobody expects these ARM-based Windows 10 machines to perform like high-end Intel-based PC gaming systems and workstations at startup, they should provide good enough performance for the majority of productivity and general computing tasks. It’s reasonable to expect cellular PCs to arrive at some point in smartphone-sized packages, which would fulfill the long promised full Microsoft Windows 10 Surface phone conseption. If Microsoft extends its Windows 10 Mobile Continuum concept to running desktop apps with the smallest cellular PCs being attached wirelessly to external displays, keyboards, and mice, then the holy grail of a single computing device that can meet all of a user’s computing needs could be realized.
Other possibilities include support for Windows 10 Holographic for virtual reality (VR) applications based on the new VR and mixed-reality capabilities built into Windows 10 Creators Update. The Snapdragon 835 supports the majority of PC components such as USB, and therefore cellular PCs should enjoy robust peripheral support as a result.
Some of the main details remain sketchy, but Qualcomm and Microsoft are clearly committed to bringing new power efficient, thin, and light Windows 10 machines to the market. However, with full support for Windows desktop applications, the new cellular PC platform should avoid the Windows RT debacle that saw Microsoft’s original Surface PC fail in the market, while ushering in a new kind of PC that lets users work anywhere without compromise.
The foregoing also brings the prospect of the present android two and a half million mainly casual gaming apps being brought to the Windows platform with all the improved user experience that would bring and with that very much expanded sales prospects for the Microsoft windows platform.
As stated, the foregoing will be limited at first release, but if the rapid rate of Qualcomm Arm based technology continues on as at present then the prospect of high end gaming based on Arm architecture may be forthcoming in the not to distant future. For high end gamers that would mean lower cost, small, quieter and cooler running systems that would have a much larger range of both high end and casual games on offer to them along with LTE mobile connectivity.
Quite a prospect, therefore "bring it on" I feel. High time that new ideas and technology came to the to-long moribund Intel based Windows system and platform.
Bill