Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) is preparing to distribute computers with a version of its upcoming Windows 8 operating system for devices using ARM processors from ARM Holdings plc (NASDAQ: ARMH). This marks the first version of the Windows operating system to run on devices using something other than chips from Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) or Intel-compatible chips from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD).
The ARM-version of Windows 8 is aimed at devices such as tablets and smartphones that compete with iPads and iPhones from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). The ARM-based chips in Microsoft’s test devices come from Qualcomm Corp. (NASDAQ: QCOM), Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN), and Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA), according to a report at Bloomberg News.
Microsoft wants the ARM versions of Windows 8 to launch at the same time as the Intel versions, rumored to be set for this fall. Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point are expected to be available for ARM-based devices at the time of the launch.
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