Windows 10 on ARM processors is already taking shape

Jan 5, 2017 13:34 GMT  ·  By
The full version of Windows 10 with Win32 app support will run on Snapdragon chips
   The full version of Windows 10 with Win32 app support will run on Snapdragon chips

​Qualcomm announced the all-new Snapdragon 835 processor at CES in Las Vegas, and the company confirmed one of the most anticipated technologies of the year: the new chip can run the full version of Windows 10.

Microsoft announced in late 2016 that it was working with Qualcomm on bringing the full Windows 10 on ARM processors, in an effort to create devices that benefit from longer battery life without compromising performance.

The Redmond-based software giant also demoed Adobe Photoshop running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, which is already available on two Windows 10 Mobile flagships, confirming that this chip has what it takes to benefit from this emulation.

Microsoft, however, said that although the Snapdragon 820 was indeed capable of running full Windows 10, the Snapdragon 835 was the first processor to bring this feature to the retail market. And today, Qualcomm has confirmed in its press statement that this is indeed the case.

The Snapdragon 835 is designed to support next-generation entertainment experiences and connected cloud services for premium-tier consumer and enterprise devices, including smartphones, VR/AR head-mounted displays, IP cameras, tablets, mobile PCs and other devices running a variety of OS’s including Android and Windows 10 with support for legacy Win32 apps,” Qualcomm said (emphasis is ours).

The Surface Phone

Seeing the Snapdragon 835 support full Windows 10 can only be good news for Microsoft and its users, especially for those who are very keen on sticking with a Windows phone.

This new emulation system makes it possible for Microsoft to indeed invent a new product category and build a more advanced Windows phone that could be able to run Win32 apps when connected to a bigger screen. This could be the Surface Phone, a model that’s expected to launch later this year and which could be powered by the same Snapdragon 835 chip.

Of course, several other manufacturers are also projected to use the chip on their devices, including Samsung for its flagship S8, so it’ll be interesting to see how Microsoft manages to make the most of this powerful chip to boost the customer appeal of its devices.