Rumor: Microsoft may bring x86 compatibility to Windows on ARM
Remember the Surface RT? Microsoft's ill-fated attempt to break away from its dependence on Intel was more or less ignored by the market, probably due to its reliance on the Windows Store and its limited selection of ARM-compatible apps. As it happens, Windows on ARM isn't actually dead yet. I know, I was surprised too. A few companies are still producing Windows phones and tablets. There are even rumors regarding an upcoming Surface-branded smartphone. Perhaps in an effort to make those devices more broadly useful in the Windows ecosystem, rumors are surfacing that suggest Microsoft is working on an x86 emulator that could let most of today's Windows applications run on ARM devices.
Apps from the Windows Store should already work seamlessly on any Windows device (thanks to the Windows Runtime ), but desktop apps obviously aren't going to work on an ARM machine without ...