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Microsoft Finally Explains Windows 8 on ARM: Desktop and Office 15 Applications Will Be Included


Posted @ 2/9/2012 12:11 PM By Paul Thurrott

 

win8_arm_01
Finally: Windows 8 on ARM


Over a year after vaguely announcing that it would provide versions of Windows 8 on the ARM platform, Microsoft today provided detailed information about its plans. The post answers lingering questions about Windows 8 on ARM, including whether users will be able to access the legacy Explorer desktop.

 

The only major remaining question, really, is what took so long?

 

"With Windows 8, we have reimagined Windows from the chipset to the experience, and bringing this reimagined Windows to the ARM processor architecture is a significant part of this innovation," Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky writes in what is arguably the most important post yet to the Building Windows 8 Blog. "Expanding the view of the PC to cover a much wider range of form factors and designs than some think of today is an important part of these efforts. Windows on ARM enables creativity in PC design that, in combination with newly architected features of the Windows OS, will bring to customers new, no-compromise PCs."

 

Key points in the post (in Mr. Sinofsky's words)  include:

 

Windows on ARM, or WOA, is a new member of the Windows family, much like Windows Server, Windows Embedded, or Windows Phone.

 

Using WOA “out of the box” will feel just like using Windows 8 on x86/64. You will sign in the same way. You will start and launch apps the same way. You will use the new Windows Store the same way. You will have access to the intrinsic capabilities of Windows, from the new Start screen and Metro style apps and Internet Explorer, to peripherals, and if you wish, the Windows desktop with tools like Windows File Explorer and desktop Internet Explorer. It will have the same fast and fluid experience.

win8_arm_02
Desktop running on Windows 8 ARM

 

WOA PCs are still under development and our collective goal is for PC makers to ship them the same time as PCs designed for Windows 8 on x86/64.

 

Metro style apps in the Windows Store can support both WOA and Windows 8 on x86/64. (We already knew this. --Paul)

 

WOA does not support running, emulating, or porting existing x86/64 desktop apps.  (We already knew this as well. --Paul)

 

Consumers obtain all software, including device drivers, through the Windows Store and Microsoft Update or Windows Update.

 

WOA includes desktop versions of the new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote in Office 15. (This is HUGE. --Paul)

 

win8_arm_office15_01
Office 15!!


Around the next milestone release of Windows 8 on x86/64, a limited number of test PCs will be made available to developers and hardware partners in a closed, invitation-only program.

 

The Windows Consumer Preview, the beta of Windows 8 on x86/64, will be available for download by the end of February. This next milestone of Windows 8 will be available in several languages and is open for anyone to download. (We already knew this too, but it's worth repeating. --Paul)

 

There's more, but I think that's the majors news. I'll keep reading....

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Comments

Add A Comment
  • Posted @ February 10, 2012 06:01 AM by gorath

    @Ron:
    WARM - haha, love it. You should definitely be put in their marketing team!

  • Posted @ February 10, 2012 06:00 AM by Neville Bagnall

    Look closely at those screenshots for whats missing.

    No title bar, no QuickAccess bar, no minimise/restore/close buttons.

    If it wasn't for the Taskbar at the bottom (or if the Taskbar was in AutoHide or a new Always Hidden mode) would you be able to distinguish the Office 15 UI from Metro?

  • Posted @ February 09, 2012 10:56 PM by Waethorn

    @Paul:

    Something to ask Sinofsky the next time you're talking to him *wink wink*:

    Why no activity hubs in Windows 8?

    To date, I don't think anyone has ever brought this point up. It'll be interesting to see if WP8 also dispenses with them.

  • Posted @ February 09, 2012 10:22 PM by Waethorn

    @Antonio:

    Versions of Windows CE and Windows Mobile (and now Windows Phone) all included some form of Office document editing before.

    Basically what I see here is a piece of computing electronics that is a "consumer solution". If you work in the industry, you know that a "business solution" is an all-encompassing hardware+software combination. Having Office included makes sense. Since desktop apps will probably be rare for WOA, bundling Office just simplifies the purchase experience for consumers, and OEM's also have a platform advantage over a typical PC that will help push the platform. You have to figure that although these will be cheaper than x86 tablets, they will look more expensive than low-end Android tablets, so this is a big value-add.

    Also, people wondering why Office isn't all Metro forget pretty easily that this next version has to be compatible with older, still-supported Windows versions that don't include WinRT. You know, those Windows versions that luddites say they will never upgrade to Windows 8 from. Yes, just like Windows, this is the "pizza for everyone" Office version too. Pizza can be a serving of vegetables - so long as it has real veggies on it - and meat, and bread, and dairy. It's a mix of all things. Windows 8 and Office 15 is like that thin crust, whole wheat pizza that's full of flavor and light on the afternoon-nap-inducing carbs.

    Ok, I'm hungry now....

  • Posted @ February 09, 2012 06:20 PM by Ron

    If Windows on Intel is WIntel, why have WOA and not WARM?

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