Microsoft
said yesterday that it is paving the way for easier, faster Windows 10
computing on mobile devices with new support from Qualcomm's Snapdragon
ARM processors. The partnership, announced at a Windows hardware
engineering event in China, could lead to new mobile products running
Windows 10 "as early as next year," according to Microsoft executive
Terry Myerson.
The
Windows 10-Snapdragon union could pose a threat to Intel's position as
the market leader in PC chips, a number of observers have noted. At the
same time, however, Microsoft yesterday also announced it was
collaborating with Intel to bring new security and
artificial-intelligence features to PCs, with a focus on gaming and
mixed-reality applications.
Together,
developments like these could signal that significant shifts in the
microprocessor market are on the horizon. They could also enable a second
chance for Microsoft to bring the full Windows experience to mobile devices, an
effort the company failed to achieve with its previous Window RT mobile
operating system.
Targeting
Windows Users on the Go
In
a blog post about several announcements made yesterday in China, Myerson -- who
is executive vice president for Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group -- said
the new Snapdragon-powered collaboration with Qualcomm is aimed at meeting
"our customers' growing needs to create on the go."
"For
the first time ever, our customers will be able to experience the Windows they
know with all the apps, peripherals, and enterprise Relevant Products/Services
capabilities they require, on a truly mobile, power efficient, always-connected
cellular PC," Myerson said. "With Windows 10 on cellular PCs, we will
help everyone make the most of the air around them."
By
using Qualcomm's ARM chips instead of Intel's X86-based processors, Microsoft
hopes to enable a new generation of Windows 10-native mobile devices like
tablets and laptops. Traditionally limited to low-power applications, ARM chips
are becoming increasingly powerful and bring the added advantages of support
for longer battery life and cellular-based, always-on connectivity.
Second
Chance for Microsoft
Thanks
to "compatibility with the Windows 10 ecosystem, the Qualcomm Snapdragon
platform is expected to support mobility to cloud computing and redefine how
people will use their compute devices," Qualcomm executive vice president
Cristiano Amon said yesterday in a press announcement.
Myerson
noted that the partnership will enable Microsoft's hardware partners to
"build a range of new Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered Windows 10 PCs that run
x86 Win32 and universal Windows apps, including Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft
Office and popular Windows games."
Microsoft
had previously targeted the mobile computing market with ARM-based devices
running Windows RT, which launched in late 2012. However, that OS failed to
gain traction among consumers, and production of Windows RT-based devices like
the Surface 2 and Lumia 2520 tablets came to an end in early 2015.
Meanwhile,
a new collaboration between Microsoft and Intel called Project Evo will aim to
"further push the boundaries of personal computing" with smarter
voice-machine communication, new virtual and mixed-reality applications, better
gaming and "true always-connected computing," according to an
editorial penned by Navin Shenoy, senior vice president and general manager of
Intel's Client Computing Group.
"The
work we are doing will help drive innovation in other areas too, from
hardware-enhanced single- and multi-factor authentication powered by Windows
Hello and Intel Authenticate for enhanced PC security to an even greater focus
on connectivity -- starting today with LTE," Shenoy wrote. "This
includes offering a wide range of PC form factors and price points that give
people choice in mobility, whether they are carrying an ultra-thin and light
notebook or a cool 2 in 1."
