At this week’s BUILD conference, Microsoft is giving application developers the first look at what it will be like to work with its Windows 8 platform. This is the latest step on the journey we began publicly back in January when Microsoft unveiled its plans for Windows on ARM at CES, and continued in June at Computex.
For me and others working on bringing Windows 8 to life on the OMAP platform, it’s been an exciting journey with new milestones reached each week. It’s thrilling when an engineering task is completed and the result is something we can easily see and enjoy, like the first time we browsed the web on Internet Explorer 10 over Wi-Fi, or the first time we brought up Windows 8’s modern UI. We’ve spent time in the trenches with Microsoft’s developers, working side by side to make the system work and improve its performance. Now, surrounded by so many members of the Windows 8 ecosystem, we can start to clearly see what the new experience will be like for consumers.
Some things about Windows 8 are truly revolutionary. In addition to the new modern UI, there are tailored applications that get away from the typical “windows” look of Windows and offer up immersive experiences using the whole screen. There is innovative touch functionality for navigation and multitasking. These go way beyond the standard Office functions we are accustomed to on Windows devices and take full advantage of the OMAP platform’s graphics and other capabilities. At TI, we are excited to bring our experience and expertise in the mobile space to Windows 8, so consumers can have a consistent experience with Windows 8 no matter what form factor they’re using it in or where they are. Carry your tablet or notebook around for fun and mobility, and dock it at your desk for business. This is a powerful system that will take advantage of the OMAP processor leadership, to excel at applications from social networking and multimedia, to productivity and enterprise apps.
Our proven success in bringing compelling applications and multitasking to mobile devices will be evident in Windows 8 devices, and we’re looking forward to seeing consumers’ reaction to the innovative experiences we’re working on with Microsoft’s ecosystem and our OEM partners. And, because they are based on our OMAP platform, you can expect great performance and great battery life in line with our high performance, low-power heritage.
In the weeks and months to come, more of our behind the scenes development and progress will come to light. We can only show you a hint of our progress today, but we can’t wait to share the full experience with you all in the future.
