What you can expect from Windows on ARM
However, the veil was recently lifted in a lengthy blog post by Microsoft's Windows head, Steven Sinofsky. He revealed that it is targeting to launch Windows on ARM (or as Microsoft calls it, WOA) at the same time as the x86 version. Although there is still no launch date, Windows 8 is widely expected to be available later this year.
So what else can you expect from WOA?
There will be a Windows desktop
If the Windows desktop is your safety blanket, then you would be glad to know that it's still around on WOA. Familiar features related to the desktop paradigm, such as Windows Explorer, are present and you can do things pretty much like you could on Windows now. For instance, you will be able to connect to peripherals and external storage devices, plug-and-play style.
The Windows Explorer will be retained on WOA and you can even attach a mouse and keyboard if you like. (Credit: Microsoft)
Microsoft is even including a full version of its upcoming office suite, Office 15. This means you'll get Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote out-of-the-box. There's also Internet Explorer 10 with hardware-accelerated HTML5 support. And if you're concerned that these powerful apps will quickly drain the battery on your Windows 8 tablet, Microsoft has stated that these apps have been optimized for "both touch and minimized power/resource consumption".
The Word app on Windows 8. (Credit: Microsoft)
But while the desktop will be there if you need it, Microsoft prefers that you use the new Metro-like interface for everything else. The company said that it does "not support running, emulating, or porting existing x86/64 desktop apps".
Instead, Microsoft is relying on developers to jump onboard its Metro-style apps, which are created to work with the new WinRT API, though the programming languages supported, including C#, JavaScript and HTML5, will be familiar to any developer. These Metro apps will generally work on Windows 8 for both x86 and ARM platforms, unless the developer includes code that's specific to one.
The curated store experience
While WOA will come with Microsoft's own Metro apps for "mail, calendaring, contacts, photos, and storage", all other apps, including drivers, must be distributed through either the Windows Store or Windows Update.This is similar to the model used by Apple's iOS or Google's Android. With proper oversight, Microsoft can reduce the incidence of rogue programs or viruses that currently plague Windows on x86. However, this also seems to suggest that users will not be able to install apps outside of the store.
WOA comes preloaded on the device along with the relevant drivers and apps. There will be an option to wipe the slate clean with a refresh and reset feature, but you won't be able to download the operating system by itself. This is something that you'll find on consumer electronics such as smartphones or tablets.
Common hardware specifications
With WOA, Microsoft appears to be taking the same route as Windows Phone 7. This means that there's a set of hardware specifications for WOA ARM devices.Part of this reason is the fact that not all ARM processors are created equal. They may share a common CPU architecture but the processor designs vary. Hence, Microsoft has partnered with three major ARM licensees--Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, and Nvidia--to develop an operating system that will work on all of them. This is a higher level of integration than the PC, which helps to explain why you won't find WOA on a DVD.
Some of the common specifications for WOA devices include a DirectX-capable graphics processor to ensure the Metro user interface will be lag-free. The operating system will also have generic drivers for a variety of peripherals and hardware.
More specifically, you won't have to worry about not being able to print directly from your WOA device. Drivers for printers, mobile broadband, GPS and other features such as accelerometers and compasses, are all included in the OS.
What it means
WOA may have the Windows 8 branding, but it feels almost like a distinct branch of Windows. Microsoft's stance on not supporting x86 desktop apps (besides its own rewritten versions), has removed the baggage carried by Windows, along with the huge pool of x86 apps.
The look and feel of Windows 8 will be identical between the ARM and x86 versions. (Credit: Microsoft)
It's a fresh start not dissimilar to what we have seen on Windows Phone 7. No doubt, developers will have to rewrite their programs for another platform, but Metro apps written with the right programming language, can work on x86, too. Besides, Microsoft has also said that it may be possible to reuse "large amounts of engine or runtime code, and surround that with a Metro-style experience". The presence of top-tier apps such as Office from Microsoft is bound to be more attractive for users and enterprises reluctant to stray from their Microsoft comfort zones.
With Android tablets failing to halt the iPad juggernaut, Microsoft is probably hoping that WOA will provide another alternative. As with any new platform, there will be limited apps at the start. But unlike the smartphone arena where Android and iOS have a huge lead in the size of their app stores, there aren't that many tablet-specific apps on Android, which gives Microsoft an opening.
If you are keen to find out what has changed in Windows 8 since the Developer's Preview released last September, there's a public preview slated to be released at the end of this month. But as we mentioned earlier, the WOA version won't be publicly available. This February beta build is intended for computers on the x86 platform.
About the author
After years of reviewing the innards of PCs in his previous job, Senior Writer Vincent Chang has moved on to covering notebooks and PC systems at CNET Asia. A big reader of sci-fi and fantasy, he has accepted the inevitable and gone down the e-book route, though he's still resisting the siren call of the Kindle.
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