Microsoft is planning to have several different versions of its next Windows operating system.
The plan is seemingly to address the various changes in the computer landscape these days, to offer tailored versions of the company’s next-generation operating system to traditional PCs, tablets, and other emerging devices.
Microsoft announced in a recent event that some versions of Windows 8 will use standard Intel chips, while others – those optimized for tablets and mobile gadgets – will work on ARM technology.
And it’s not just going to be one ARM-based Windows operating system. There will be four different versions of the OS running on ARM.
Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android platform have both been used to create successful tablet devices, but Microsoft has largely been left out of the game, even though there has been some rumbling about using Windows 7 for tablets.
On the PC side of things, however, Windows 7 has been something of a success story, which is good news after Windows Vista was regarded as a huge failure.
In the end, though, Microsoft clearly realizes it can’t just rest on its laurels with Windows as it stands now, and is ensuring that it can remain on top of the changing tide in consumer electronics.
As for when the new versions of Windows will be available and exactly how each version will differ from one another, those details will no doubt come in a series of future announcements.
