14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft recently announced that starting next year, full Windows 10 would run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor, as it’s working on bringing the operating system on ARM chips and offer the full experience on a wider array of devices.
And now it appears that Windows 10 ARM is already generating interest from PC makers, as a report from Digitimes and citing “sources from the upstream supply chain” reveal that vendors have already started developing and testing notebooks and tablets powered by Qualcomm processors.
These products are supposed to launch in the second half of 2017, the report claims, with manufacturers particularly pleased with battery life and costs generated by the full version of Windows 10 on ARM chips.
It goes without saying that it’s a lot too early to tell whether Windows 10 on ARM will be successful or not, but PC makers clearly don’t want to be late to the party when these devices start hitting the market.
Snapdragon 835
Microsoft’s demo of Windows 10 on ARM was made using a Snapdragon 820 processor, which is already available on a couple of Windows phones, namely the Alcatel IDOL 4S and the HP Elite X3.
And yet, the firm said that the existing devices are unlikely to support this new implementation and run full Windows 10, so most likely, Windows 10 on ARM would become available starting with Snapdragon 835.
This is the next chip that Qualcomm prepares for 2017, and several devices are already expected to launch with it, including Samsung’s own Galaxy S8 flagship.
There’s also a rumor that Microsoft could launch the eagerly-anticipated Surface Phone with a Snapdragon 835 processor, but a confirmation in this regard is not yet available.
The second half of 2017 timing, however, aligns with Microsoft’s target date for the Surface Phone, as it’s believed that Redmond plans to launch the Surface Phone in the autumn of 2017.