Microsoft to announce Windows on ARM at CES

It's not that significant just now IMO. The only reason why a full version of Windows for ARM would be significant is if it could run the huge catalogue of Windows software. It can't without them being recompiled.

Also, they have an ARM OS - Windows Phone 7. This would have to be yet another variant.

Windows Server for ARM processors I could understand but I don't think another mobile OS is needed. Of course they probably can't scale the Windows Phone 7 UI up so for the tablets, Windows for ARM makes sense.

Until they actually deliver something though.... meh.

I would say that's the most likely outcome. HP's purchase of Palm for use on tablets will act against Microsoft when they push WebOS alongside Windows 7 in the same domain. People will see that Windows 7 isn't optimised well enough.


It probably wouldn't take that long but it would lack a number of hardware drivers. I'd expect this device to be completely unrelated to WP7. That UI would be horrendous on a big screen. They'd be better off just making it work like Windows 7 on current tablets.


Microsoft have done this too many times. Although Apple uses hype to build support for their products, they at least pull off product launches very well. With Microsoft, it's been failure after failure and a raft of cancelled products. The Kin, the Courier, even Microsoft Surface is a non-starter really - yes Microsoft in this world of mobile devices, I'd like a coffee table to leave my mobile devices on thanks.

Kinect and their XBox 360 they have done quite well but they aren't profitable ventures.


ARM is too slow to do something like binary translation like Apple used to run PPC apps and they aren't optimised for touch. They'd have to start over like Apple did and they are 3.5 years late to the game. It would result in more fragmentation as you say but at least the apps made for it could be compatible with x86 Windows, which is one thing that's not true about iOS apps yet. I suspect Lion will change this with the 'back to the Mac' strategy.


Yeah there wouldn't be anything preventing that. The lack of a physical keyboard might prevent it being a killer app in that form factor combined with the fact that the Windows 7 on-screen keyboard isn't that good but it's one of the most useful business apps and would be compelling for business users.

Still, you'd have to assess what people are actually doing while they are mobile. I think Apple has done this research. I can't think of a single time I've ever seen anyone in my life doing work while commuting. Sure you get writers but they can use anything to type on. Anyone doing business, it's just communications - emailing and calling. There's little to no productivity on the go so I think Microsoft have to focus on entertainment. Their best idea would probably be sticking a Blu-Ray drive in it though.

Cool, Windows 7 Mobile on the iPad alongside iOS and Honeycomb.

Just shows that the iPad remains the best option.

There's a big thread over at Ars on this. Even Peter Bright thinks its not a good idea.

Windows 7 on ARM=fail.

Why they won't adapt WP7 for tablets mystifies me.

MS's goose is already cooked. Their island is Windows and Office on PCs. Nobody wants to bring that crap onto their tablets, and they merely put up with it on their PCs for legacy's sake.