Microsoft is working to bring 64-bit Intel app emulation to Windows on ARM

With Microsoft's launch of the Surface Pro X last week, questions were once again raised about the apps that can run on it. The answer is that like any Windows 10 on ARM PC, it can run native ARM (ARM and ARM64) apps, and it can run emulated 32-bit Intel (x86) apps. This leaves out 64-bit Intel (AMD64, or x64) apps, so if you want an app that's only available in an x64 flavor, such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Photoshop Elements, you can't use it. That's going to change though. Speaking with several sources, I can confirm that Microsoft is indeed working on bringing x64 app emulation to Windows on ARM. When that will happen is a bit more unclear, but it seems like it could be in Windows 10 21H1, which would mean that the general public will have access to it in the first half of 2021, and Windows Insiders will be able to test it out next year. Developing tools and technologies like this always carries an inherent risk - if it's slow and cumbersome, people will complain and won't want to use your operating system. If it's fast and seamless, however, developers have little to no incentive to develop native ARM64 applications for Windows on ARM. That's a fine line to tread, and definitely something Microsoft will have issues with. On a related note, the ARM64 version of Microsoft's new Edge browser has been released.