14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft’s efforts to get closer to the Linux world continue with a new announcement at the Build 2018 developer conference, this time concerning Windows 10 on ARM.
Ubuntu Linux will be the first version to become available on Always Connected PCs, which are powered by Microsoft’s Windows 10 on ARM platform and running on Qualcomm Snapdragon chips.
Windows 10 on ARM devices are supposed to offer the full power of Microsoft’s desktop operating system with a significant boost in terms of battery life, with early figures pointing to laptops running as much as 20 hours per charge.
Using Snapdragon mobile processors that were specifically optimized for PC use, Always Connected PCs will soon be able to install Ubuntu from the Microsoft Store as well, and several other Linux distributions are expected to follow in the coming months.
More Linux distros likely to follow
Microsoft hasn’t released this announcement at the Build 2018 keynote, but in a separate session called “Windows 10 on ARM for Developers” and focused specifically on what developers can achieve on Always Connected PCs (via Neowin). Microsoft demoed Ubuntu running on an ARM device during the session and users should be allowed to download the Linux OS on Always Connected PCs as well soon.
No word has been said on the other Linux distributions that could launch for Windows 10 on ARM PCs, but there’s a chance all those that are currently available in the Microsoft Store would migrate to this version as well.
At this point, in addition to Ubuntu, users can also download OpenSuSE, SUSE Linux, Debian, and Kali Linux, all of which can be launched side-by-side on the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
More information on the Linux push on Windows 10 on ARM devices will probably emerge in the coming weeks when the download links should go live for everyone in the Microsoft Store.