Microsoft has confirmed that a full desktop and Office will be included as part of the forthcoming version of Windows 8 for mobile devices (such as tablets and smartphones) running on ARM processors.
However, according to Ars Technica, Windows 8 on ARM won’t be able to run or emulate any current x86 desktop PC apps, meaning that apps will have to be ported or rewritten from scratch.
Devices running Windows 8 on ARM will also be more restricted than desktop PCs, including being blocked from booting into other operating systems, and requiring all apps to be downloaded through the Windows Store.
Traditionally, desktop PCs have used x86 processors built by AMD or Intel, while ARM processors are usually used in mobile devices where high performance with long battery life are key design features.
By creating a version of Windows 8 that works on AMD devices, Microsoft hopes to gain a larger slice of the mobile device market.
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
