New rumor claims mobile version of Windows 10 will work on ARM and Intel devices

[Windows Central]

A new report claims to have some more information on Microsoft's plans for the mobile version of Windows 10, including word that it has been made to run on devices with ARM-based processors as well as those with chips made by Intel, which uses the x86 design.

Full story from the WindowsCentral blog...

 

[nallWhite]

Doubt its a rumor. This is what MS stated they are working towards a while ago.

 

[Stefan Holder]

Well maybe all the Windows RT users will stop panicking now about if their devices will be supported..
Sent from my Samsung ATIV S using Tapatalk.

 

[a5cent]

Well maybe all the Windows RT users will stop panicking now about if their devices will be supported.

I don't think so.

The article is specifically about W10 mobile. That still comes with all the RT update caveats that have been debated on this site during the last few months:

1. there's still a huge difference (a lot of work) between "can run on ARM" and "will run on Surface and Surface 2". Until MS directly says Surface devices will receive W10M, I'd consider such conclusions premature.
2. even if Surface owners do get the update, it's unknown whether Touch Office be a viable substitute for desktop Office.
3. W10 mobile won't have the desktop, and although I personally have no issue with this at all, some people do feel the desktop is central to their Windows RT experience. How well that works for them has yet to be seen.
4. then we've still got the occasional lose end here and there, like how capable IE will be on such a device...

I don't think panic was ever a reasonable approach, but it's not like this really answered any questions. I think John Calahan isn't accurately expressing Mary J Foley's original point. It's not that W10M will run on ARM. Everybody already knew that. Her point is that W10M will run on Intel! MJF had actually already reported on rumoured Intel compatibility for W10M in early October. Nothing new really...

The best thing about this report is that we're finally getting ZDNET and WC to acknowledge that there will be a separate W10 mobile version, so I'll no longer have to fight against the notion that this is all one and the same OS running on everything from desktops to smartphones.

 

[Stefan Holder]

I don't think so.

The article is specifically about W10 mobile. That still comes with all the RT update caveats that have been debated on this site during the last few months:

1. there's still a huge difference (a lot of work) between "can run on ARM" and "will run on Surface and Surface 2". Until MS directly says Surface devices will receive W10M, I'd consider such conclusions premature.
2. even if Surface owners do get the update, it's unknown whether Touch Office be a viable substitute for desktop Office.
3. W10 mobile won't have the desktop, and although I personally have no issue with this at all, some people do feel the desktop is central to their Windows RT experience. How well that works for them has yet to be seen.
4. then we've still got the occasional lose end here and there, like how capable IE will be on such a device...

I don't think panic was ever a reasonable approach, but it's not like this really answered any questions. I think John Calahan isn't accurately expressing Mary J Foley's original point. It's not that W10M will run on ARM. Everybody already knew that. Her point is that W10M will run on Intel! MJF had actually already reported on rumoured Intel compatibility for W10M in early October. Nothing new really...

The best thing about this report is that we're finally getting ZDNET and WC to acknowledge that there will be a separate W10 mobile version, so I'll no longer have to fight against the notion that this is all one and the same OS running on everything from desktops to smartphones.

You seemed to miss the point of my comment... What the OS update contains is not what is being debated here.. It's the ability for the SurfaceRT and similar devices actually getting support. We can wrangle with what features etc will be included or not later.. For now its about Windows on ARM tablets..which is all but a sure thing.

 

[a5cent]

You seemed to miss the point of my comment... What the OS update contains is not what is being debated here.. It's the ability for the SurfaceRT and similar devices actually getting support. We can wrangle with what features etc will be included or not later.. For now its about Windows on ARM tablets..which is all but a sure thing.

No, I didn't miss that. That's what my first point was addressing. Just because something can run on ARM doesn't mean it will run on Surface devices.
More importantly, we've always known that W10M will run on ARM. In that sense this article is telling us nothing new. Why should telling us something we already know change our minds about anything?