Recently, Microsoft starts to support Windows 10 on ARM devices. In this way, people can recompile Win32 apps in order to make them run on Windows 10 on any ARM devices. This will do a good job in improving the speed and performance of Windows 10.
Microsoft announced its support to ARM architecture; this makes it possible for developers to build Windows 10 apps by taking advantage of ARM architecture. Now, they can get the software development kit and tools which are officially supported by Microsoft. In short, the support for Windows 10 on ARM devices has brought many benefits.
The support and an SDK designed to help build Windows 10 applications on ARM are included in Visual Studio 15.9, the preview version of which was released in May. The new Visual Studio 15.9 can be used by developers to do the following things:
- Create apps for the devices
- Recompile applications by using UWP and C++ Win32
- Run natively on Windows 10 on ARM devices
Microsoft introduced this process in May when it has created preview tools to build applications like this. Now, the process could be done much easier by using the tools supported by Visual Studio 15.9.
Windows 10 on ARM Devices
What Does the ARM Processor Mean
In general, the ARM processor is found in small-scale consumer electronics, such as tablets, smartphones, and MP3 players. Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) architecture is used in the processor; fewer transistors are required to go through computing tasks so as to reduce:
- Cost
- Heat
- Size
- Power consumption
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Well, the shortage lies in the processor is not as powerful as the traditional processors from famous brands like Intel and AMD (which are much faster with the same clock speed).
ARM64 Applications
Actually, The ARM64 applications are designed and used for Windows 10 on the ARM convertibles, for instance, the Galaxy Book2 of Samsung and the new Lenovo Yoga C630 WO. They work out the way to improve the decreasing performance of Windows 10 on ARM laptops. By doing so, Microsoft wants the developers to believe that it is worth recompiling their Win32 applications to run on them.
According to Sweetgall, it’s the right time for developers since Lenovo and Samsung (the partner companies of Microsoft) are now offering ARM devices which are running Windows 10 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 chips.
It is necessary to do the following things:
- Update the environment of Visual Studio to Version 15.9.
- Install the Visual C++ compilers and libraries which are required for ARM64.
Otherwise, the developers will end up in failure in using the new SDK & tools and building ARM64 C++ Win32 applications.
The remote debugging gives full support to ARM64 applications; developers can make use of it to debug their applications. Users are also allowed to create a package for sideloading and copy the binaries & paste it to a Windows 10 on ARM devices.
Expert’s Words
With the official release of Visual Studio 15.9, developers now have the officially supported SDK and tools for creating 64-bit ARM (ARM64) app. In addition, the Microsoft Store is now officially accepting submissions for apps built for the ARM64 architecture. These second-generation ARM64 devices provide even more computing power for developers to tap into while continuing to deliver the beyond-all-day battery life customers expect from Windows 10 on ARM. Like the first-generation ARM64 devices, they are also thin, light, fast, and designed with instant-on 4G LTE connectivity in mind, while able to run the wide ecosystem of Windows applications thanks to an x86 emulation layer. Running natively allows applications to take full advantage of the processing power and capabilities of Windows 10 on ARM devices, resulting in the best possible experience for users. With new Windows 10 on ARM devices sporting more powerful processors, the ARM64 platform continues to mature and improve. The release of Visual Studio 15.9 continues that evolution, and we can’t wait to see what amazing experiences developers can produce using these tools.– said Sweetgall