Applications for Windows Metro will be compatible with ARM

All applications available on the Windows Store Metro created with the interface may be implemented in both ARM and x86 platforms.

Recently Microsoft announced this news and apparently they have a clear direction that applications under the Windows Store should be compatible with the x86 and ARM architectures which could differentiate it from other alternatives already on the market as Apple App Store, Android Market, etc.

The main issue here is that both are completely different architectures, although Microsoft is working hard to make the apps transparent enough to ensure that applications running in ARM or x86.

The company is working closely with the major supporters of the platform for mobile devices, not only with the ARM itself, but also with NVidia and Qualcomm.

Microsoft also announced that future users of Windows 8 for ARM may make use of traditional office software applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as Internet Explorer 10.

What remains unclear is whether the developers should recompile the applications to be available on both platforms or adding some sort of virtualization software so that it can be run independently of the architecture with the it was built.

You can learn more about this on Publishing Metry Style apps for Windows 8.