CES 2011 is upon us and rumors are becoming reality, one of them is that the next version of Windows operating system will support System on a Chip (SoC) architectures from Intel, AMD and including, for the fist time, ARM-based systems. More details can be found in today’s announcement from Microsoft news press release.
Also Microsoft has shown off the new version of Windows operating system running in Intel x86 and ARM architecture, and they were capable of delivering good support in different scenarios like hardware-accelerated web browsing, hardware-accelerated graphics and media playback, printing, and USB device support among other features. Additionally, there is going to be a version of Microsoft Office that is able to run natively on ARM-based systems.
So, why SoC architectures are important? They are important because packaging the major computing components into a single chip will enable us to have thinner, smaller devices while reducing power consumption which can increase battery life, and makes possible better device functionality.
SoC chip in a full featured motherboard
Snapdragon ARM PC running Windows natively
Microsoft Office 2010 running in a Windows PC with ARM
“With today’s announcement, we’re showing the flexibility and resiliency of Windows through the power of software and a commitment to world-class engineering. We continue to evolve Windows to deliver the functionality customers demand across the widest variety of hardware platforms and form factors,” said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft.
Useful Links
- Full Microsoft news press release.
- Full Q&A with Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division.
- Get full coverage of CES 2011.
- Learn all about CES 2011 Keynotes, Press Events, and more.
Source Bloggins Windows & Microsoft News Center
