@a1batross
Well, they did this once already, when they went from PowerPC to Intel. So we know they can manage it. It remains to see how their consumers will feel about the move, if and how many of them are willing to rebuy the same software.

@a1batross @alyx on windows they would get fucked if they switched from x86 since most of the windows users I know only use windows because of the software. So all the arm systems would be just be bound to fail and considering that arm chips are less powerful then x86 ones that also means that stuff like emulation at decent performance is less likely to happen.

@mizuki @a1batross
Windows RT already failed once. And since their Microsoft Store hasn't improved much, Microsoft simply isn't able to convince it's users now to transition to ARM.

Apple has more influence over the ecosystem devs, so they'll probably be able to push them to port everything to ARM. So you'll find the software you need (unlike Windows) on ARM. You'll just have to rebuy software you already own.

@alyx >It remains to see how their consumers will feel about the move

I doubt most of them know what is x86 and what's the difference with ARM.

>Windows RT already failed

It's failed because of Microsoft. Their marketing was always poor.

@mizuki emulation is definitely possible. Again, I don't think it's a problem since they have literally slaves that pay to Apple 100 dollars to just stay in AppStore. Of course, they will port their software to ARM in minimum time.

@a1batross @mizuki @alyx They're giving it another try https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/5/20948092/microsoft-surface-pro-x-review-arm-windows-10-apps-features-specs-price

@r @alyx @mizuki yeah, they didn't abandoned it. It's there, it's exists but it's useless and overpriced enough so I can't just buy it to play with.

@a1batross @alyx @mizuki
>overpriced
Isn't that the case with every other surface devices as well? I think their plan with this model was to just create a proof of concept for their hardware partners and expect them to come up with their own similar devices. Similar to what they've been doing with the rest of the computers from the surface series.

@r @alyx @mizuki yeah, sadly, it is.

@tk @a1batross
I dread the idea of emulating x86 on ARM. Can't imagine what kind of performance you could hope from something like that.

Apple would get a major benefit out of this, in that people would no longer be able to compare their over expensive hardware with normal self build PCs. So people will no longer be able to easily call them out on their bs.

@alyx @tk there already some successful emulation of x86 on ARM.

Qualcomm and Microsoft did something in this area but I don't know if they actually released it.

There is even commercial emulator for Linux, called ExaGear Desktop. It supports translating SSE into NEON code so performance is really nice.

@a1batross @tk
I knew of Microsoft doing work on this. Wasn't aware there was a Linux solution.