This might be hard to believe for you if you’re aware of what has transpired over the past couple of years with regards to a desktop version of Windows for ARM-based processors, but apparently it looks like Microsoft may go down that same road again. Support documentation on Microsoft’s own website has sparked speculation that perhaps the company might be developing a desktop version of Windows 10 for ARM-based chips.
Audio Engine Core Test page on the company’s MSDN website lists “Windows 10 for desktop editions (Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education) ARM” as supported operating systems in its specifications. That’s a bit odd since Microsoft hasn’t said anything as yet about developing such a version of Windows 10.
There’s another listing on the specs page of “Windows 10 Mobile x86” which might hint that Microsoft could release a version of Windows 10 that might be able to run on x86 chips made by companies like Intel. This is all speculation at this point in time.
Back when Windows 8 was launched in 2012 Microsoft also launched Windows RT, a version for ARM-based processors, but it didn’t do as well as the company would have hoped even though it powered a separate line of Microsoft’s own Surface tablets. It hasn’t been long since Microsoft drove the final nail inside Windows RT’s coffin.
The question remains, though, what benefit does Microsoft see in going down this road again when its previous efforts failed? The company itself has not yet confirmed any plans of doing this so we’ll have to wait and see if this is what it really ends up doing.
Filed in . Read more about Microsoft, Windows 10 and Windows Rt.