Shortly after the announcement of two new eight-core Snapdragon X Plus processors, which should make Copilot+ PCs more accessible to the masses, Qualcomm's CEO revealed that Google would soon bring its Drive client to Windows on ARM. As of right now, you cannot run it even when emulated since Google blocks installations on ARM devices. However, a native version should be out later this year.
Besides the Google Drive client, Windows on ARM is getting native versions of some popular VPN services, such as NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Unlike Google Drive, those apps are available right now, further closing the app gap on Copilot+ PCs.
The first Copilot+ PCs with Qualcomm's latest processors launched earlier this year and gained favorable reviews for their energy efficiency and solid performance. However, the app gap is still there, and Microsoft and Qualcomm are working hard to ensure that many programs work natively on ARM-powered Windows computers.
Those efforts have already paid off, as some of the most popular applications, including Chrome, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Illustrator, and more, are already ARM-friendly on Windows. More developers are already working on optimizing their apps, and cheaper Copilot+ PCs should make gears turn faster for Windows on ARM and increase its adoption. Also, the release of the Surface Pro 7 for Business and the Surface Laptop 7 for Business should help propagate the new category to commercial customers.
As of right now, Snapdragon-powered computers are only available in laptops and tablets, but Qualcomm and its partners are working on bringing those chips to other form factors, such as desktop computers and even servers.
If the app you need is not running natively on Windows on ARM, you can try emulating it using Microsoft's updated Prism emulator, which boasts significant performance and efficiency improvements. Still, not all apps, especially games, can run on Copilot+ PCs, so buying one is still quite a gamble for many users.
Via The Verge
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