Embedded Software

MSe WEC2013 Overview Intro w extensions (LC)

Display portlet menu

Windows® Embedded Compact 2013

Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 is the next generation product of Windows® Embedded CE/Compact, the operating system for innovative and small-footprint devices. Designed specifically for embedded developers, who need to bring new devices to market quickly and at the lowest possible cost. Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 provides a 32–bit native hard real-time, small footprint operating system with multi-core support (SMP), Silverlight support and powerful embedded development tools.

Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 interoperates with industry standards and existing Microsoft desktop and server technologies to help you create differentiated devices for a broad range of device categories, from commercial devices to consumer electronics products.

Find here an Overview Datasheet about Microsoft Windows® Embedded Compact 2013.
Visit the secured download section for an overview Presentation about Microsoft Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 as well as for the actual Windows® CE and Compact Roadmap.

 

New in Windows® Embedded Compact 2013

Naming and Branding: The name is now Windows® Embedded Compact 2013

Redesigned Architecture

  • Platform Builder plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio® 2012, Visual Studio® 2013 and Visual Studio® 2015
  • Support for multicore processors (SMP) up to 8 cores
  • ARMv7 now supported (Cortex A processors, Thumb 2)
  • CPU core management API provided
  • Physical memory support up to 3 GB (512MB in CE 6.0)
  • USB and SD storage much faster
  • Multi-Touch capabilities
  • Bluethooth 2.1 plus EDR
  • XAML development in Expression Blend
  • NDIS 6.1 supported
  • .NET Compact Framework 3.9
  • Snapshot boot

New Licensing Structure: 3 main licenses: Core (NR), Entry and General Embedded (full)

Better Tools

  • Platform Builder designed as a plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio® 2012, Visual Studio® 2013 and Visual Studio® 2015. Use your existing development skills to build both an operating system and an application. A full Visual Studio 2012 Professional is now included in the Platform Builder package with no price increase!
  • Updated catalogue functionality
  • Updated compilers
  • New integrated silverlight development tools

Better Support

  • Ten-year extended support
  • Worldwide partner base and community collaboration
  • Free evaluation kit to evaluate and test your system for 180 days

Faster Development

  • End-to-end development portfolio to help you easily configure, build, and ship new devices
  • Integrated development emulator eliminates having to use multiple tools from various sources
  • Several hundred test components ready to use
  • More source code access to help you debug, test, and make changes to an operating system image

Enabling New Business Opportunities

  • The Cellcore Stack component helps devices establish data and voice connections over cellular networks
  • The Windows Media Connect and Digital Video Recording components help devices consume media from Windows 7 and Windows 8.x-based PCs and record, pause, and rewind live video streams
  • The Windows Network Projector component will make it easier for meeting attendees to give a presentation from a Windows Vista based PC

For more information, click here


  • Support for physical memory up to 3 GB
  • Multicore support (SMP) up to 8 cores

Platform Builder for Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 (a plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio® 2012, 2013 and 2015) is an integrated development environment (IDE) for building customized embedded operating system designs. Platform Builder comes with all of the development tools needed to design, create, build, test, and debug your project.

Please click here to find a getting started guide.


To write applications for Windows® Embedded Compact 2013, Microsoft offers a familiar set of programming languages that use managed or unmanaged code. Microsoft Visual Studio® takes full advantage of the .NET Compact Framework, which uses public Internet standards to enable integration with new and existing applications running on any platform. Supported languages include Visual C++, Visual C#, and Visual Basic. Siliverlight technology is fully integrated as well.

The integrated ARM based Emulator helps you easily to test your CE image without having a hardware platform.

Click here for more detailed information.


We can divide between the device OS development and the application development. To start with the device development, you need a BSP (Board Support Package) from a board manufacturer or start with a built in standard BSP.

All needed drivers, configurations and settings are stored in the BSP. The more complete a BSP is, the less work you have to do! You can test your image via the device emulator. Don't forget to choose the emulator BSP as well in your project.

After you have finished the OS design, you can export a SDK (Software Developmet Kit). The SDK contains the API-Set (Programmer Interface) supported through your Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 Image. An application developer can now install this SDK to write applications for your Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 Image and test it as well on the emulator first.

There are different debugging tools and a Windows® Embedded Compact Test Kit available in the Platform Builder Toolchain. Details can be found here.

 

MSe SHARED general Contact box (GBL)

Display portlet menu

Contact Us

Need local assistance for your Microsoft Embedded Solution? Let us know!

Contact Us Now

MSe WEC2013 Key Features table

Display portlet menu

Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 Key Features

Key Facts Description
Real-Time Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 is the only operating system from Microsoft with native real-time capabilities. Of course, the latency times vary with the speed and architecture of the processor.
Low Cost Low upfront capital investment through free evaluation tools, low cost development tools and lowest cost licensing to reduce total cost of development.
Visit the secured download section for a document about a summary of total cost of development for Windows® Embedded CE vs. Embedded Linux.
Processor Architectures The following four 32-bit CPU architectures are supported: x86, ARM, MIPS32 and SH4. New in Compact 7 is the support for ARMv7. Details (BSP) can be found here.
Modular More than 500 components to select. Huge component update from WEC7 to WEC2013. See here for the whole list.
Shared Source Get with the Shared Source Program over 4 million source code lines. Use the shared source code to document, debug, test, and modify the OS image to create differentiated features. You are allowed to use and change this source code.
Visit the secured download section for a  summary presentation about the shared source program.
Small Footprint The kernel use around 700kB of the footprint. Normal industrial WEC2013 devices use around 4-6 MB, a full featured Mobile build around 20 MB. The application is not included.
Mobile Devices Special functionality for mobile devices is included. I.e. power management, instant-on and small footprint for flash usage. Of course, all new communication stacks and media capabilities are included in Windows® Embedded Compact 20137.
Time-To-Market Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 is a streamlined, componentized device operating system that gives developers all the tools they need to create the next generation of intelligent systems solutions. With support for x86 and ARM architectures, Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 provides the flexibility and real-time support to help device manufacturers reduce time to market while creating easy-to-use, multi-touch intelligent systems that help enterprises improve worker productivity.
Industry Standard Windows® Embedded Compact 2013 interoperates with industry standards and existing Microsoft desktop and server technologies to help you create differentiated devices for a broad range of device categories, from commercial devices to consumer electronics products. Microsoft committed to a ten-year extended support for Windows Embedded Compact 2013.
Application Development To write applications for WEC2013, Microsoft offers a familiar set of programming languages that use managed or unmanaged code. Visual Studio 2012, 2013 and 2015 is supported and now takes full advantage of the .NET Compact Framework, which uses public Internet standards to enable integration with new and existing applications running on any platform as well as native code development. Supported languages include Visual C++, C#, and Visual Basic. Silverlight technology is now fully implemented into Windows® Embedded Compact 2013. As well as popular code samples, which can be found here.