Microsoft’s attempts to port Windows to ARM began earlier than we thought: over two years ago, the company apparently already had Windows running on the low-power architecture. According to EXIF data, the two photos above were taken on January 22nd, 2010 with a Samsung Omnia Pro, but that’s not Windows Mobile on this Asus P835 smartphone. It’s a build of Windows 7, and to give you some idea of the timing, it predates the January 27th announcement of the original Apple iPad by several days. Of course, if what we’ve been hearing about Windows Phone 8 pans out, these pictures of a “fairly early” Windows on ARM debug could represent more than just software running on silicon: it could be symbolic of how Microsoft intends to truly unify phones, tablets, and PCs with its next version of the desktop operating system.
Microsoft was running Windows on ARM two years ago
Microsoft’s attempts to port Windows to ARM began earlier than we thought: over two years ago, the company apparently had Windows 7 running on an ARM-based phone.
Microsoft’s attempts to port Windows to ARM began earlier than we thought: over two years ago, the company apparently had Windows 7 running on an ARM-based phone.
is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
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