It feels like 1999 all over again. Instead of ARM acting on their first mover advantage with the introduction of 64-bit platforms, we now have ARM support from Microsoft.
Yes we now have Windows running on ARM.
Microsoft touts the following advantages of running Windows on ARM platforms that include:
- Extended Battery life
- Cooler devices
- Instant Turn-on
- Faster/Better performance (???)
This is a good thing for most consumers (retail and enterprise) and something that Apple has done very well (my most recent laptop is a M3 Mac Air). With the introduction of all new platforms, there are some challenges in the migration or specifically in this case, application compatibility issues. Microsoft has highlighted the following as potential “gotchas” when testing out the new ARM platform:
- Certain drivers for specific hardware (some older printers, FAX machines) will not (and never work).
- Older games will work or display correctly (we are looking at you OpenGL).
- Older assistive technologies (for sight and hearing impaired)
- Text formatting technologies
- Input Method Editors (IME) that handle Kanji and non-western character sets
- FAX and Scan technologies
You can learn how to build new applications on the ARM platform with some guidance from Microsoft found on their learn site. And if you are like me and what to find out how well Windows works on your new M3 Mac air, you can either “stream” Windows via site Windows 365 service or run Parallels.
To help out with this challenge, the team at Readiness has created ARM Compatibility testing service. Just like our other compatibility offerings, this fully automated, online service includes the following:
- Algorithmic Assessment
- Detailed individual application testing
- Automated profile level “smoke” testing
If you are interested in a trial of “proof of concept”, then give the Assurance offer from Readiness a try. It’s simple, fast and does not require additional hardware or software.
All results are guaranteed.
