Rumors have been circulating that this will finally be the year for tablets that run a Microsoft OS. On this news, information has surfaced that states at CES 2011, Microsoft will unveil a version of its popular Windows platform that will run on ARM based processors.
According to Bloomberg.com, "Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest software maker, will announce a version of its Windows operating system that runs on ARM Holdings Plc technology for the first time, said two people familiar with Microsoft’s plans". The software will be tied to battery powered devices, which many believe will be used for new tablets and phones.
The news does not come as a major surprise as most people agree that for a tablet to be successful, it cant not just equal the iPad, but must best it in every possible way. With an ARM based device, battery power could be significantly improved and with ARM chips already available, developers for the platform should not be hard to come by.
While Microsoft has not and will not confirm any of the details before hand, we will all have to wait until CES to see if this rumor holds any weight. Neowin will be at CES 2011 and will be covering Steve Ballmer"s keynote.