Windows 8 is the most significant operating system update by Microsoft ever since Windows 3.0. It is about to released on Intel devices pretty soon. However, this is the first ever Windows Operating System that will also run on AMD and ARM chips. A few days ago at CES 2012, ARM devices were on display running Windows 8.0. However, back then we were told that Windows 8 wasn’t stable on ARM machines yet. Now, a number of sources are claiming that Windows 8 is now stable on ARM devices and that this may warrant an earlier-than-expected release of ARM devices with Windows 8.
If indeed the sources are right, this may be a cause of worry for Intel. This is because the ARM machines, with nearly the same specs and Windows 8, will cost hundreds of dollars less than Intel machines with similar capabilities. Intel hasn’t faced any significant challenge earlier when it comes to the world of Microsoft Windows but with ARM machines expected to hit the market the same time as Intel’s Windows 8 machines, things can get very interesting.
Intel hopes to make a major come-back with it’s Windows 8 ultrabooks. But ARM can somewhat puncture this come-back if ARM ultrabooks with similar specs are released with a much lower price range. This is all the more expected now because many sources are claiming that ARM may be able to launch side by side with Intel, although earlier we were told that ARM machines will be released later.
Among the main ARM chip suppliers are Texas Instruments, Nvidia and Qualcomm. The sources reveal that two of these platforms have finally succeeded in running stable Windows 8 on ARM machines.
There have been claims one of the key features of Windows OS, Microsoft Office, may not function well enough on ARM. But now it is being said that Office is working fine too.
The greatest problem ARM faces is the lack of support for legacy apps. These apps run perfectly on Intel machines but ARM has not support for them. Although it is said that some of the main metro-style apps of Windows will be available on ARM machines, there is no encouraging word about third-party legacy apps.
Image courtesy 1o17.
[ttjad keyword=”microsoft”]
