Microsoft sees future for ARM-based tablets, but maybe not Windows RT
The rest of the industry may have turned its back on Windows RT, but it looks as if Microsoft isn't prepared to ditch the Windows-on-ARM dream just yet. During an analyst call, Terry Myerson, Microsoft's recently crowned software chief, seemed to describe RT as a first attempt, which will be followed up by further devices in the future:
"Windows RT was our first ARM tablet(sic). And as phones extend into tablets, expect us to see many more ARM tablets, Windows ARM tablets in the future."
Myerson's choice of words, and in particular his reference to phones that "extend into tablets," suggests that Microsoft could be looking to bridge the divide between its smartphone and tablet divisions, and perhaps give Windows Phone a much more prominent role than the much-maligned Windows RT. Indeed, using Windows Phone as a tablet OS, or merging WP and RT, would help Microsoft to unify its various platforms and apps -- something it has talked about in the past and that is actually a key focus of Myserson's work:
"... we really should have one silicon interface for all of our devices. We should have one set of developer APIs on all of our devices. And all of the apps we bring to end users should be available on all of our devices."
So, who knows, perhaps Windows Phone and RT have a common future? In which case, the idea of Nokia taking charge of this unified drive -- building phones and tabletson the same platform -- would make a lot of sense.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/20/t...on-arm-future/
