To bolster the development of native software for Arm-powered PCs, Microsoft has unveiled its “Arm Advisory Service for developers”.
The new initiative aims to ensure app compatibility for Windows on Arm, a version specifically designed for the processor architecture.
Microsoft’s announcement comes in response to research from analyst firm Counterpoint which predicts a substantial rise in the marketshare of Arm-powered PCs, from 14 percent to 25 percent by 2027.
Mike Adams, Corporate VP for Customer Experience Engineering at Microsoft, said:
“Most apps just work under emulation, and developers can port their apps to run natively with minimal effort.
More device manufacturers are building Arm devices for a reason – devices are lightweight, have lightning-fast connectivity, offer extended battery life, and have advanced camera and audio capabilities in addition to many other benefits.
These benefits can drive increased customer adoption of Arm devices which is driving more ISVs to develop Arm-optimised versions of their applications.”
The initiative is an extension of Microsoft’s existing App Assure program, which aids developers in transitioning their apps from Windows 7 to Windows 10 or 11.
The Arm Advisory Service includes technical workshops, recommendations on platform features to enhance the Arm application experience, as well as code samples and reviews to facilitate Arm development.
Developers will receive assistance with issues encountered during porting or building Arm apps, along with access to an escalation path connecting them with Microsoft engineers for software development support and product feedback.
Cloud security firm Zscaler provided the following testimonial:
“Porting the Zscaler Client Connector to Arm was a great experience with the stellar support from the Microsoft App Assure team.
The App Assure team engaged our common customers, drove periodic tracking meetings, helped with tough technical challenges, provided deep OS-level solutions and so on. They also shared specialised Arm hardware which helped with development and testing. Finally, they made a special effort to help our third-party library vendors to port their software as well.
We now have over 100 customers using our Arm client. Thank you App Assure team and Microsoft!”
While the program’s limitations, such as its operational hours restricted to the US Eastern Daylight Time zone, may pose challenges, Microsoft’s decision to launch this initiative underscores its significance for the company’s future plans.
Interested developers can register for the Arm Advisory Service here.
(Photo by Turag Photography on Unsplash)
See also: Stack Overflow reveals UK’s top 10 best-paid developer roles
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