Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows 10 on ARM

Snapdragon Developer Kit. © Qualcomm.

The Build 2021 event revealed that Microsoft partnered with Qualcomm to create a Windows 10 on ARM development kit, available on the Microsoft Store this summer. Consisting of a mini PC equipped with the all-new second-generation Snapdragon 7c, it seeks to encourage developers to build ARM64 applications for Snapdragon-based PCs. Although Microsoft and Qualcomm have not set a price for this new development kit, they promise that it will be more affordable than what is now available. Currently, developers have to buy devices like the Surface Pro X (starting at $ 1,000) to fully test their ARM64 apps on Windows, which adds up. “This developer kit provides an affordable alternative to other consumer and commercial devices,” says Miguel Nunes, senior director of product management at Qualcomm. “With the smaller desktop configuration, this kit gives developers more flexibility than notebook options, and at a lower price point.” This SDK will also help developers test the new x64 application emulation for Windows on ARM. This emulation, in the works since December, allows users to run 64-bit applications that have not yet been compiled for ARM-based devices.

⇨ The Verge, Tom Warren, “Microsoft and Qualcomm team up to create a Windows on ARM developer PC.”

⇨ Windows Central, Daniel Rubino, “Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows 10 PCs coming this summer from Qualcomm, Microsoft.”

2021-05-25