At Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Microsoft confirmed its long-rumored plans to port the next version of Windows, currently known as Windows 8, to ARM chipsets, in addition to those based on the Intel x86 architecture.Windows 8 will support System on a Chip ARM-based systems from “NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments.” Microsoft also made plain at the time that x86 support will continue and that “normal” Windows software will run on an Intel based System on a Chip machines without rewrites.
Microsoft has also stated that Office, going forward, will run on ARM System on a Chip systems. No cameras were allowed in the room, and no Windows 8 UI elements or release schedules were shown or discussed.
According to Sinofksy, the system requirements for Windows 8 will actually double since Windows 7, but he downplayed the potential problem by reminding us that Windows 7 actually arrived with lower hardware requirements than its predecessor. And since Windows 8 won’t ship until mid-2012, the available hardware will be more impressive as well.
With System on a Chip support in Windows 8, Microsoft pledges to allow “industry partners to design and deliver the widest range of hardware ever.
More from the Microsoft CES press conference and press releases:
* Sinofsky said that “normal” Windows software will continue to run on Intel’s SOC with the next version of Windows without requiring any rewrites.
* Sinofsky also said Microsoft will insure that Office, going forward, will run on ARM SOC systems.
