It looks like ARM is the future. We came across some information confirmed from two different sources that Microsoft has been putting a lot of effort in ARM capable products.
Analysts expect millions of ARM based tablets and phones to ship in 2011 and Microsoft doesn’t want to leave this market completely in the hands of Google.
The company wants to gain some traction and what better way is to get into this playground than having its most popular product package for ARM users. Office has been one of the key products responsible for Microsoft’s dominance, and once it goes to ARM, it will make things slightly easier for Microsoft.
Google on the other hand should have Android 3.0 Honeycomb ready and Chrome OS is supposed to be available at some point of 2011. Microsoft most likely won’t be ready with its ARM versions of Office and Windows until 2012, perhaps even late 2012.
Many things can change in two years, just ask Nokia, a company with a very costly and damaging Symbian fetish. We are not sure if Microsoft made its move too late to stay on the top.
One thing is sure, by the time Microsoft comes to market with ARM office and Windows 8, Google will be a predominant player in this marketing, having the iPhone OS, a fearsome competitor against itself.
By Fuad Abazovic and David Stellmack
To give Windows 8 a helping hand, or arm
Fuad Abazovic
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