SOFTWARE SUPPORT

Perhaps the biggest hurdle for non-x86 laptops is software support, because the vast majority of PC software is written for 64-bit and 32-bit Intel and AMD hardware. In the past, this has meant that laptops running on non-x86 hardware have been restricted by what kind of hardware they can use. However, that is all changing. Microsoft has been pushing Windows on Snapdragon and Windows on ARM development, which are versions of its Windows 10 operating system that are designed for non-x86 hardware. It brings a Windows desktop experience you’d expect on a laptop—and there’s a growing number of apps on the Microsoft Store that can run on these devices. There are still noticeable absences, but Microsoft is making it easier for developers to recompile their win32 or Universal Windows Apps to become ARM64 apps, so they can run on 64-bit ARM hardware. It is also introducing emulation for win32 apps to run on ARM hardware—which will expand the software available for Windows on ARM devices without impacting performance.

If Apple does move to its own non-x86 hardware for MacBooks, we should see the company port its apps to the new hardware (and encourage third parties to do the same). We know that Apple is working on Project Catalyst, which will allow developers of iOS apps for iPhone and iPads to easily convert their apps to work on macOS. If future Macs run on similar architecture to Apple’s mobile devices, Project Catalyst will ensure there is a wide variety of software ready to go.

The growth of web apps, which can run through a web browser, also means that many traditional restraints for non-x86 hardware will no longer apply.