Windows Embedded roadmap update!

The Windows Embedded teams have been working a lot lately on planning and starting executing on the next generation of products. Determined to deliver on the Intelligent Systems promise to extend enterprise software and cloud services to devices.

Today, several announcements were made. You can find the full press release here.

Here are the main things announced:

• Windows Embedded Enterprise v.Next and Windows Embedded Standard v.Next will bring Windows 8 technologies to embedded devices.
• Windows Embedded Enterprise v.Next, full Windows product licensed for embedded OEMs, will be available a quarter after Windows 8 general availability
• Windows Embedded Standard v.Next will be a customizable and componentized version of Windows 8 will undergo a CTP for developers during the first quarter of 2012, and will be released 3 quarters after Windows 8 general availability. In addition it is confirmed that Windows Embedded Standard v.Next will support the ARM architecture
• Not only there will be a Windows Embedded Compact v.Next will still be based on the CE core but it will also bring support for native application development in latest Visual Studio version.

Comments

• Anonymous
  November 14, 2011
  Good News! About Embedded Compact Visual Studio support. What is the "latest Visual Studion version"? One that is available now or one that is available when Embedded Compact v.Next is released? -- Antti

• Anonymous
  November 15, 2011
  @Antti: good catch ;-). We definitively want to ensure we are not behind in terms of Visual Studio versions and will have a continued effort to deliver native Compact application development in the latest version of VS available. -Olivier

• Anonymous
  November 15, 2011
  Two questions...  First, will the development in the latest version of Visual Studio extend to existing versions of Embedded Compact?  As embedded devices often exist for many years, being able to target older versions in current IDEs is very important.  Related to this, will it also include .NET Compact and Windows Embedded Handheld (vNext and current version) support?

• Anonymous
  November 20, 2011
  Olivier, as I posted to you on Twitter by providing only native application support we effectively will have the same level of functionality that we had back in eVC++4.  It really makes no sense whatsoever not to have manged application support. Why doesn't MS ask it's development community what they'd like ?

• Anonymous
  November 21, 2011
  @WilkoSki: you make a good point and the Windows Embedded team is definitively planning to prioritize its developments based on customers and developers input, along with business needs. We will share the decision when they are made.

• Olivier

• Anonymous
  November 21, 2011
  @James: the first priority is to support Compact 7 and Compact v.Next development. Extending support for earlier versions is something we'll consider once we deliver the support for Compact 7. At this point, there is no official plan of records for Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 support. With regards to .NetCF, we are still considering different options and will share the plans once finalized.

• Olivier

• Anonymous
  November 29, 2011
  Id like to add some backing to WilkoSki's comments.  The "CE core but it will also bring support for native application development" statement does quite sound quite ominously Micorsoft-like for "dont get your hopes up for managed".  That paired with the lack of .net cf roadmap does raise some eyebrows.  I of course know how Microsoft internet-based rumors fly about (wever been hearing of Silverlight's demise for years now), It would be very comforting to know that the pieces of embedded development today WEC, SL, .NET will continue into the future.

• Anonymous
  November 30, 2011
  @ghatzie I totally understand your point and feel your frustration. We don't want to share plans that are not locked down in order to not set wrong expectations. As soon as we will be able to communicate the developer story roadmap, we will. -Olivier