Microsoft: Qualcomm is just the beginning of ‘Always Connected PC’

It is no secret that the first Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 -powered notebooks receive a bad reputation for their supposed performance vs. price ratio. So, Microsoft wants to make things clear, telling us that these first devices are just the beginning of their biggest initiative of & # 39; PC always connected & # 39; (ACPC).

"We do not equate & # 39; PC always connected & # 39; with Qualcomm," says Microsoft Windows general manager, Erin Chapple. "We are an option in the ecosystem and in working with our partners."

Now this is not Microsoft distancing itself from Qualcomm or this first series of ACPC products, in fact, it's anything but.

"There will be future devices [ACPC] based on future versions of Qualcomm's silicon," Chapple mocks.

"You will see [ACPC] performance improvements between the Fall Creators Update and the RS4 updates that we have been delivering [through the Windows Insider program]."

However, according to Microsoft, an ACPC it's not just a laptop Windows 10 with an ARM-based processor. Chapple reiterates that an ACPC is a type of computer that achieves permanent connectivity through LTE (or 5G in the future), can go to sleep without losing progress in applications connected to the Internet and lasts more than a dozen hours with charge. 19659002] In summary, an ACPC is a laptop with Windows 10 or tablet that, to all intents and purposes, behaves more like a smartphone. However, that definition does not dictate the hardware inside, with Chapple making an interesting point to illustrate this fact.

"Today we have the three devices [the HP Envy x2, Lenovo Miix 630 and Asus NovaGo] that we launched in the Qualcomm processor," says Chapple. "We also have our Surface Pro LTE, which we consider our first PC always connected."

Yes, the first Microsoft ACPC has been out for months, using an Intel processor and a Qualcomm LTE modem, before the first three Snapdragon laptops hit the market That's because, according to Microsoft's definition, the Surface Pro LTE conforms to the ACPC invoice.

Today's connected PCs will improve

Microsoft tells us that their ACPC mission will continue to evolve, including more chip makers in the process in addition to Intel, AMD and Qualcomm. There will also be more device manufacturers in addition to the three computer and laptop manufacturers mentioned above.

"We have faith in the device category [ACPC] and in the S mode".

However, that does not cover the concerns with the large number of current machines when it comes to performance versus price.

"You will see [ACPC] performance improvements between the Fall Creators Update and the RS4 updates that we have been delivering [through the Windows Insider program]." Chapple tells us.

Of course, what Chapple is referring to is Redstone 4 the internal code name for what many expect to be called the Spring Creators Update, the next major revision of Windows 10 that should be done day now

Chapple promises demonstrable increases in current ACPC performance between these two versions of the operating system, not to mention the advance. Future major updates of Windows 10 will consider ACPC as a focus at the top of the normal mission of new feature updates and interface tuning.

However, Microsoft does not intend to turn its back on Windows 10 S – soon it will simply be & # 39; Mode S & # 39; – which is clearly a basic principle of the ACPC initiative.

"I think it's important for us to base the fact that we started the devices [ACPC] in what is now the Mode S in the upcoming Windows 10 update that is coming," says Chapple, "because we trust the category of devices and in S mode ". For the demographic objective that we pursue, they spend a lot of time in the native operating system, the browser and Office. "

Naturally, those are the three functions that Windows 10 S gets better, but do not worry, Chapple tells us that Microsoft will not only allow ACPC users to opt for Windows 10 S mode, but also plans to improve Windows 10 Home performance and compatibility in ACPC products in the future.

"We, of course, allow you to activate Windows 10 startup mode," says Chapple, "and then we'll present you with the layers of emulation to allow the use of all APs. "

Chapple refers to the current need for Windows 10 Home Versions and Pro to emulate applications developed natively for first generation processors, or x64, from manufacturers such as ARM, not the x86 processors that have dominated Windows devices for years, of course, emulation – using backend software to recreate a hardware environment – creates an additional load on any processor and, therefore, anto, a success for performance.

Therefore, Chapple reminded us that we must monitor his Build 2018 conference, where he plans to launch an x64 software development kit so that application developers can take their developed applications first to run natively on Windows 10. , not just in S-mode.

In summary, this stumble has not deterred Microsoft from its mission to make laptops work more like smartphones. Rather, it seems that the firm is much more determined to see such devices, Always Connected PCs, paving the way forward in mobile computing.