14 DAY TRIAL // Windows RT was introduced with much fanfare in October 2012, when Microsoft rolled out the Surface RT tablet, but the company is now planning to slowly phase it out as it switches the focus on the full Windows experience.
The first step in this direction is expected to be made with Windows 10, when Microsoft is very likely to release only minor updates to the platform, but users now call for the company to keep Windows RT alive no matter what.
In a post on UserVoice that’s rapidly getting votes, one user explains that Windows RT deserves a second chance, especially because both Surface RT and Surface 2 are powerful tablets owned by millions of people across the world.
“There must be a future for ARM based tablets with a size over 8 inches. Give windows rt an upgrade to the windows 10 version for smartphones and tablets,” the post on UserVoice reads.
“The Surface RT/2 is a beautiful piece of hardware. It's better to have it with access to all windows 10 capabilities and services and without the desktop than to have a tablet that is left behind.”
Only few Windows 10 features for Windows RT
When Windows 10 comes out later this year, Microsoft plans to release only a few improvements for Windows RT, thus requiring users to buy a tablet that can run the full version of the operating system in order to benefit from all improvements of its new software.
The company has already confirmed that Windows RT will only get some Windows 10 features, but no specifics have been provided until now, as the new OS is still in development, so a lot could change until the final product comes out.
Microsoft has already stopped production of Surface 2 and Lumia 2520, so if Windows RT indeed has a future, the company needs to introduce a new device running the tablet-oriented operating system. Chances for such a project are minimal, so Windows RT is set to go dark in the coming years.