In addition to the already known Windows® 10 IoT Enterprise on ARM, Windows 11 IoT Enterprise 2024 on ARM is now available. Through the intensive collaboration between Microsoft and hardware suppliers, Windows IoT on Arm is an attractive product that offers the advantages of ARM CPUs in terms of smaller footprint, lower power consumption and lower cost without compromising Windows application compatibility or graphics capabilities.
One new feature is Arm64EC (“Emulation Compatible”). Arm64EC is a new application binary interface (ABI) for apps running on ARM devices with Windows 11. It is a Windows 11 feature, requiring the use of the Windows 11 SDK, and is not available on Windows 10 IoT Enterprise on ARM.
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise on ARM now adds the ability to run unmodified x64 Windows apps on Arm devices. This is a big change compared to Windows 10 IoT Enterprise on ARM. The ability to run x86 & x64 apps on ARM devices provides confidence to OEMs, that the majority of their existing apps & tools will run well even on new ARM-powered devices.
For the best performance, responsiveness, and battery life, OEMs should use ARM-native Windows apps, which means that developers will need to build or port ARM-native Windows apps.
More information can be found at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/arm/overview
| Use cases | Typical applications and benefits |
|---|---|
| Industrial HMI & Control |
Factory operator terminals, machine interfaces
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| AI Edge Devices |
Vision systems, defect detection, smart cameras
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| Digital Signage |
Retail displays, information kiosks, menu boards
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| Self-Service Kiosks |
Ticketing, payment, check-in terminals
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| Medical Devices |
Diagnostic systems, patient monitoring terminals
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| Transportation Systems |
Passenger information displays, ticket machines
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| Retail & PoS |
POS terminals, inventory management devices
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| Robotics & Automation |
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), service robots
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| Smart City Infrastructure |
Information kiosks, traffic monitoring, public service terminals
|
Key benefits across these applications:
- Power efficiency - ARM processors typically consume less power than x86 alternatives
- Fanless designs - Enables quieter, more reliable systems with fewer moving parts
- Integrated AI acceleration - Modern ARM platforms often include NPUs for local AI processing
- Enterprise security - Secure Boot, BitLocker, Microsoft Defender, and device lockdown capabilities
- Long lifecycle support - Well-suited to embedded and industrial deployments with extended deployment cycles
- Cloud connectivity - Integration with Azure IoT, device management, and remote update solutions
These benefits are particularly true for Qualcomm-based platforms such as the QCS6490, IQ-615, Dragonwing™, and Snapdragon X Series solutions running Windows 11 IoT Enterprise on ARM.
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