Redmond, Washington — Redmond software behemoth Microsoft is giving itself a major shot in the ARM, has updated its licensing agreement with chip design firm ARM Holdings PLC that enables the software giant to design chips based on ARM’s technology, a mainstay for cellphones that is also playing a role in new tablet-style computers.
Technology giant Microsoft seems to be getting serious about making phones and other portable devices that can successfully compete with things like Apple’s iPad and iPhone: The latest alliance is an architecture license, which empowers Microsoft to design its own ARM chips, much like Qualcomm does with its Snapdragon processors used in products such as the Dell Streak tablet and Google’s Nexus One smartphone.
Now this alliance considerably extends the ways Microsoft can use ARM technology: for instance, now the company is free to develop its own microarchitecture based on ARM technology.
Microsoft now has an architecture license for ARM technology. This may mean better Windows Phone technology in the future. (Credit: Microsoft)
Although neither of the company is not commenting on the specific, and financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it seems that the agreement involves technology intended at devices using Microsoft Windows.
ARM is one of the most inventive chip designers around the globe, with its designs being employed in everything from Apple’s iPhone and iPad to high-tech toys and handheld calculators.
“ARM is an important associate for Microsoft, and we offer multiple operating systems on the company’s architecture, most notably Windows Embedded and Windows Phone,” KD Hallman, general manager of strategic software and silicon architectures at Microsoft, said in a statement. “With closer access to the ARM technology, we will be able to enhance our research and development activities for ARM-based products.”
“Microsoft is an important member of the ARM ecosystem, and has been for many years,” said ARM CTO Mike Muller, in a statement. “With this architecture license pact, Microsoft will be at the forefront of applying and working with ARM technology in concert with a broad range of businesses addressing multiple application areas.”
“The announcement indicates to working together on Windows Embedded and Windows Phone,” said Antonio Viana, an executive board member of ARM Holdings, based in Cambridge, England. “Microsoft has put themselves in a position where, now with an architectural license, they are in a better position to enhance development opportunities on ARM.”
A spokeswoman for Microsoft refused to elaborate on the company’s plans. A decision to design chips would be a notable strategy shift for the company, which has so far relied on other companies’ chips for hardware such as the Xbox videogame console and a recently-discontinued cellphone called Kin.
The two companies have worked together since 1997, but now Microsoft can help develop a processor based on ARM designs. ARM offers a number of technology licenses, including licenses for specific processor implementations as well as full-bore architecture licenses. Microsoft is paying for the latter, which puts it in a small group of major companies like Qualcomm, Marvell, and Infineon. Rival Apple Inc. has already made the jump, building a size-able internal semiconductor design team to help differentiate its products. It is using an internally developed ARM-based chip called the A4, which runs the iPhone 4 and iPad, is based on the Cortex-8 ARM processor architecture, with a PowerVR graphics controller.
Viana said under the new agreement, “the partner has the right to invent their own implementation,” as opposed to just licensing a specific implementation. Three other chip makers have publicly said they are licensing ARM’s architecture, he said, including Marvell, Qualcomm and Infineon.
The disclosure fueled speculation over what kind of device Microsoft might want to build using ARM technology, including upcoming smartphones or tablets. Apple’s iPad uses a custom-designed chip that some believe is based on ARM’s technology.