Microsoft Windows 10 'Redstone 3' Rumored To Feature x86 on ARM64 Emulation

There were talks that Microsoft was working on bringing x86 emulation to ARM processors since January 2016 and is being targeted towards phones and perhaps tablet or desktops. Sources reported that this grand capability is coming to Windows 10, though not until "Redstone 3" in the Fall of 2017.

The "Redstone" release of Windows 10 is notable for a handful of reasons, but Redstone 3 could include one of the most ambitious features yet: x86 on ARM64 emulation.

So what is so grand about this x86 ARM64 emulation? It means that ARM-based devices running Windows 10 Mobile, such as the Lumia 950 XL, could see an immediate boost of supported applications.

The said ambitious upgrade will make smartphones transcend its current usual capacity. The x86 emulation could prove extremely important for ARM-based Windows devices, as it would allow users to run the same applications they are used to running on their x86 desktops and notebooks. If the emulation works well, it could dramatically bolster the number of apps Microsoft's mobile platforms could run, essentially giving it the best of both worlds, especially when paired with Continuum, according to Hot Hardware.

Interestingly, the codename for this functionality is "Colbalt", which Mojang fans will recognize, as it's the name of one of the developer's games. Microsoft owns Mojang, and thus its major Windows 10 builds have taken the Redstone nomenclature.

The "Cobalt" x86 emulation on ARM is currently on the list of features that Microsoft is planning to make part of "Redstone 3," the version of Windows 10 that sources have said will be available in the Fall of 2017, sources say, according to ZDNet.

Officials to HP have told Mary Jo Foley that most enterprise customers who use the Elite x3 smartphone, which runs Windows 10 Mobile, usually also utilize a third-party virtual machine or remote desktop solution like "Citrix." The need for a more natural, single-source solution may prove to be more user- friendly for these types.

Emulation development is dependent on the Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 release path - as sources learned today that the MSM8998 part number correlates to the 835.

While the estimated time for arrival for CHPE is for fall 2017, it is the same speculated release date for the Microsoft Surface Phone. Combine all those factors with Continuum, it would make a lethal competitor against other giant smartphones producer.