I like to say that anything that precedes the word “but” in a sentence is false. Nice rule to live by, and has served me well. As this latest development affirms.
There is now talk that Windows 10X could arrive as early as December.
As in, next month.
But it will be missing an important feature. That being support for standard Windows applications. You know, the traditional programs, classic software that we are so in love with. These usually go by as Win32 apps, and there are millions upon millions of them out there.
Which is exactly why Microsoft is having such a hard time building support for these programs in Windows 10X, the modular and lightweight version of Windows 10 designed for dual-screen and foldable devices.
The latest on this matter comes from Windows Latest, pun always intended, who claim that the operating system is complete enough to be handed to manufactures to put on their new machines.
Windows 10X hitting RTM status by the end of 2020 would mean that device makers will be able to ship their products, which will start trickling out by spring 2021.
However, the new OS would be missing its most key feature, that being support for Win32 apps.
As previously reported, Microsoft has been working on a technology called VAIL that enables this new operating system to run classic programs. The secret sauce here is virtualization, and it is this new technology that is complicating things for Windows 10X.
The software titan seems to be facing technical hitch aplenty getting this crucial element right, meaning users might be stuck to using UWP and PWA apps until this piece of the puzzle is sorted out. Being unable to run your favorite program severely limits the usability of this new platform.
Windows 10X has got a lot of things right, but its appeal would remain clearly on the low side until Redmond is able to sort out this virtualization bit.
There’s that “but” word again!
