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Rich Krajewski
ibm221
Microsoft: Windows 8 on ARM to be 'no-compromise' experience
Sylvie Barak
2/9/2012 10:31 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO-- Using Windows 8 on ARM (WOA) devices “out of the box” will feel the same
as on x86/64 PCs, and both versions will be released at the same time,
Microsoft has said.
In a long and detailed blog post called “Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture,” Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows Division at Microsoft, said WOA would represent a “no-compromise” experience and would “look and feel just like you would expect.”
“You will sign in the same way. You will start and launch apps the same way. You will use the new Windows Store the same way,” he said.
Likewise, users on both platforms will have access to the new Start screen and Metro style apps, as well as Internet Explorer, Windows File Explorer and other peripherals.
Sinofsky said WOA would also allow users to access Windows desktop if they wanted, and that it would offer “the same fast and fluid experience.”
Addressing issues of compatible software for the ARM architecture, Sinofsky said WOA would include Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote in a package codenamed “Office 15," significantly architected for both touch and minimized power/resource consumption while also being fully-featured for consumers and providing complete document compatibility. Thus, rather than be a Metro-style app, Office on ARM will run in the same way as a desktop application.
Whether Office on Windows 8 ARM devices will be bundled in and whether or not it will be free, however, is still unknown.
Microsoft did clarify that WOA would not be available as standalone, meaning users will not be able to load it on any ARM-based device, instead, it will be loaded directly onto OEM partner products.
“Partners will provide WOA PCs as integrated, end-to-end products that include hardware, firmware, and Windows on ARM software,” said Sinofsky, noting that this was to be expected from consumer electronics devices relying on “unique and integrated pairings of hardware and software.”
Sinofsky also addressed the fact that various ARM-based chipsets would provide different experiences, noting, “each ARM licensee building these packages takes a different approach to selecting features, making product trade-offs, and designing the complete silicon package.”
These choices, he said, would offer a differentiation factor.
“There is no single ARM experience, and as we have seen with other operating systems, even the same ARM CPU combined with different components, drivers, and software can yield different types or qualities of experiences.”
Sinofsky said this was the reason Microsoft chose to work with three different ARM licensees from the get go, namely Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.
“Each brings different expertise and different approaches, and all will make a unique contribution to WOA,” he said.
In a long and detailed blog post called “Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture,” Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows Division at Microsoft, said WOA would represent a “no-compromise” experience and would “look and feel just like you would expect.”
“You will sign in the same way. You will start and launch apps the same way. You will use the new Windows Store the same way,” he said.
Likewise, users on both platforms will have access to the new Start screen and Metro style apps, as well as Internet Explorer, Windows File Explorer and other peripherals.
Sinofsky said WOA would also allow users to access Windows desktop if they wanted, and that it would offer “the same fast and fluid experience.”
Addressing issues of compatible software for the ARM architecture, Sinofsky said WOA would include Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote in a package codenamed “Office 15," significantly architected for both touch and minimized power/resource consumption while also being fully-featured for consumers and providing complete document compatibility. Thus, rather than be a Metro-style app, Office on ARM will run in the same way as a desktop application.
Whether Office on Windows 8 ARM devices will be bundled in and whether or not it will be free, however, is still unknown.
Microsoft did clarify that WOA would not be available as standalone, meaning users will not be able to load it on any ARM-based device, instead, it will be loaded directly onto OEM partner products.
“Partners will provide WOA PCs as integrated, end-to-end products that include hardware, firmware, and Windows on ARM software,” said Sinofsky, noting that this was to be expected from consumer electronics devices relying on “unique and integrated pairings of hardware and software.”
Sinofsky also addressed the fact that various ARM-based chipsets would provide different experiences, noting, “each ARM licensee building these packages takes a different approach to selecting features, making product trade-offs, and designing the complete silicon package.”
These choices, he said, would offer a differentiation factor.
“There is no single ARM experience, and as we have seen with other operating systems, even the same ARM CPU combined with different components, drivers, and software can yield different types or qualities of experiences.”
Sinofsky said this was the reason Microsoft chose to work with three different ARM licensees from the get go, namely Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.
“Each brings different expertise and different approaches, and all will make a unique contribution to WOA,” he said.
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elctrnx_lyf
2/10/2012 12:45 AM EST
I think its really a huge effort to make windows work on ARM. Looking forward to use and feel the real experience of WOA. If WOA works perfectly Intel might start losing their share in PC market soon.
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Sheetal.Pandey
2/10/2012 3:10 AM EST
Good business startegy by Microsoft..
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eewiz
2/10/2012 3:48 AM EST
Windows on ARM doesnt run the existing win apps for x86. So I dont know why they bother to take PC OS and slap it into a tablet device. They could have just as well ported with win phone 7 to tablets.
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woohoo
2/10/2012 11:05 AM EST
its about the future. its not about the tablets *only*, what MS is saying is that in a few years you will have WOA in laptops/netbooks possibly PC's. And when the ARM 64bit will be in production, even the server market will be under fire. Intel will also gain from this OS optimisation, feel bad for AMD.
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goafrit
2/10/2012 10:30 AM EST
Steve Ballmer is having his best days running Microsoft. Good one
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yalanand
2/10/2012 10:00 PM EST
This is really great news. ARM architecture has the added advantage that they consume less power. Needs to be seen if ARM will make a dent in the x86 business. I am sure Intel is keenly watching these developments.
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daleste
2/10/2012 11:03 PM EST
Yes, Intel will feel bad with MS moving ahead without them. How long before they adopt the ARM architecture? Never?
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resistion
2/12/2012 10:28 PM EST
If WOA really takes off, Intel might seriously consider entering foundry business for ARM processors. But it would screw up their business model completely.
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Sanjib.Acharya
2/11/2012 6:31 AM EST
What is interesting to me is to see that MicroSoft is working with three of the ARM licensees namely Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments. None of them are into the PC processor business yet...correct?
So, are these companies planning to venture PC process business?
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DrQuine
2/11/2012 11:07 AM EST
I don't understand why the end of Wintel monopoly is receiving such press coverage (or is it simply Windows promoting their new product). AMD (sic) has provided a Windows compatible alternative to Intel microprocessors in personal computers for years.
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chanj
2/11/2012 7:42 PM EST
WOA will provide an alternative laptop or tablet which has full office application and which is able to run for longer hours. If WOA succeeds penetrating market, salesperson and executives who travel often will have easier time to go around. No doubt there will be negative impact to Intel. Nonetheless, given the highest compatibility of existing applications and likely future applications, Wintel machine will be around and maintain a high percentage of market share for next 5 to 10 years.
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hm
2/11/2012 11:08 PM EST
Similarly, will we see Android on new generation Intel mobile processor? Consumer will have three major choices - iOS, Windows on ARM and Android. Windows is little late and iOS may be winner.
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GREAT-Terry
2/12/2012 8:40 PM EST
WOA. It is a "WOW WOW" idea! I like this and hope to experience this new stuff real soon. BTW, I think it is also a good strategy to pack Office in the standard package as a computer/tablet may be useless without such powerful tool.
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ibm221
2/12/2012 9:10 PM EST
Bill Gates is the man.
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ibm221
2/12/2012 9:51 PM EST
investment suggestion:
time to buy in SMIC, TSMC , etc..
ditch intel...
this will be a disaster,
a repeat of the DRAM scenario.
this time koreans might not be the winner...
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Neo1
2/12/2012 11:12 PM EST
This is significant step MS has taken towards shrugging off x86 bottle neck and dependence for its growth. This should bode well for MS in the mobile segment in the next 2 years. As far as ARM is concrned it is well making the most of the prevailing situation and seems quite focussed on where it wants to be.
Intel will not feel any heat until this marriage succeeds and even then still not for a few years.
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AlunWang
2/13/2012 3:08 AM EST
I don't feel optimistic for Windows 8 on ARM, I don't think there is any exact threat on Apple's Ipad.
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Goffers
2/13/2012 8:31 AM EST
Presumably it will be quite easy to port ARM apps intended-say-for Android devices to WoA. If app authors use platforms like Qt they should have good flexibility.
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LarryM99
2/13/2012 1:27 PM EST
Application dependency on specific CPU architecture is at real risk these days. If the host OS can handle virtual environments, there is no real reason that all of those environments have to use the same instruction set. Java's VM was a good start in that direction. If the OS can provide a common platform on a number of CPU's then it can more completely commoditize the CPU.
Larry M.
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Mike Santarini
2/13/2012 5:31 PM EST
Good piece Sylvie, What makes this even more interesting is that from what I've heard, Intel is one, if not the biggest, customers/licensees of ARM.
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the lavender fan
2/13/2012 7:40 PM EST
Given Microsoft's track record of running Windows on Intel x86, I doubt that Windows on ARM would be a great user experience. Sure, battery probably lasts longer, but the user probably ends up waiting longer for an app to finish.
Until Windows on ARM has similar performance as on x86, it is too early to conclude that Intel is done.
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Duane Benson
2/14/2012 4:18 PM EST
Has anyone (not under NDA) actually used WOA? The promises quoted sound pretty much the same as promises made for Wn95, 98, CE, Me, XP, Vista, 7...
Until it's proven, I think it's pretty premature to be saying that Intel's in for a heap of trouble. It may end up that various ARM providers give Intel a run for their money, but based on history, I'd guess that a genuine challenge is still a few WOA versions away.
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ibm221
2/15/2012 9:00 PM EST
yeah , yeah,
just like kodak, DC emerged in 90s and it would survive till 2012.
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Rich Krajewski
2/17/2012 7:41 PM EST
"...[I]t would offer “the same fast and fluid experience.”
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
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