Microsoft is about to release a limited number of ARM-based widgets running Windows 8 to developers so when the operating system hits GA it can compete against the iPad, according to what Windows president Steven Sinofsky told Bloomberg and others Thursday.
The system, which can't run legacy programs, will need brand new apps.
The object of the game is to put out the x86 and ARM OS (now styled WOA) at the same time.
Microsoft will reportedly hand out test PCs based on ARM chips from Qualcomm, TI and Nvidia, all running the same binaries. Developers have only gotten Windows 8 for the x86 before. They should get the ARM machines around February 29, when Microsoft means to release an x86-only Consumer Preview of Windows 8.
The ARM OS will only be sold bundled and all apps will go through the built-in Windows apps store. There will be battery-efficient versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, a k a Office 15, for the thing. Consumers will be able to choose the classic Windows interface - where the Office apps and Internet Explorer will run and only the Office apps and IE - or the new tiles-based Metro UI. Metro apps will run on other Intel and ARM.
Note to Adobe: the ARM IE10 won't support Flash.
Sinofsky's written a looong 8,600-word post all about both halves of the Janus-like OS at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/02/09/building-windows-for-the-arm-processor-architecture.aspx.