Emulating Windows with an M1 processor will soon be possible

For almost a year now,many wondered about the future of Windows on macOS following the announcement of the Apple silicon program. No, this is not an oxymoron but indeed a real problem. On the one hand for developers who have advanced machines and wish to test their apps in competing virtual environments, and on the other for gamers who are numerous to deplore the lack of titles compatible with Macs.

For Cupertino,the rest was nevertheless clear: it is up to the main stakeholders to modify their platforms accordingly, and not to its engineers to worry about it. And it seems that the advice has finally found a buyer at Microsoft, the publisher having just unveiled the aptly named Windows 365. Indeed, it is nothing more and nothing less than the same operating system that the company markets since 1985 but completely online.

How does Windows 365 work?

In reality, the principle of Windows 365 is relatively simple and more or less similar to that of the French startup Shadow. Thus, by connecting to it, we have the possibility of taking advantage of the historic OS in the cloud, with sufficiently efficient equipment available. Therefore, one can also install all the desired software includingthose from the Microsoft Store.

For the moment, however, Apple does not seem to have any particular grievance against this newcomer... But if the firm has still not taken action, it is also perhaps quite simply because it is not not yet accessible to everyone. Because we know that for Tim Cook's teams, programs letting Internet users download apps via a dedicated library in a browser (this is what we callsideloading) are synonymous with bans in the name of security.

Availability and devices

To date, the price to pay for a taste of Windows 365 - which probably takes its name from the eponymous Office suite - has not been communicated by Microsoft. We do know, however, that the amount in question will take the form of a subscription. There will be two types, Business and Enterprise. As for the basic configuration, it will include a single CPU coupled with 2 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage.

Official launch date: Monday August 2, 2021.