Microsoft says Intel’s Windows 8 Statements Were ''Factually Inaccurate and Unfortunately Misleading''

Intel at its Investor Meeting 2011 in Santa Clara, California spoke about Windows 8 and how it would run on x86 and ARM architectures. Now Microsoft is refuting the information that Intel provided about Windows 8, calling them "factually inaccurate."

To recap, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the Software and Services Group Renee James told people at the meeting that Intel chips would be the most widely compatible for running Windows 8.

"[Windows 8 traditional] means that our customers, or anyone who has an Intel-based or an x86-based product, will be able to run either Windows 7 mode or Windows 8 mode," she said. "They'll run all of their old applications, all of their old files – there'll be no issue."

"There will be four Windows 8 SoCs for ARM," she said. "Each one will run for that specific ARM environment, and they will run new applications or cloud-based applications. They are neither forward- nor backward-compatible between their own architecture – different generations of a single vendor – nor are they compatible across different vendors. Each one is a unique stack."

Microsoft is unhappy with the information that Intel presented, but is not picking any particular point to clarify.

BusinessInsider quoted the following as the Microsoft denial:

"Intel’s statements during yesterday’s Intel Investor Meeting about Microsoft’s plans for the next version of Windows were factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading.  From the first demonstrations of Windows on SoC, we have been clear about our goals and have emphasized that we are at the technology demonstration stage.  As such, we have no further details or information at this time."

Hopefully Microsoft with clarify soon.

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Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • apache_lives
    Microsoft: Its Not Not True

    LOL
    Reply
  • billj214
    Would have been better for Microsoft to ask Intel to clarify, this sounds like a bunch of kids fighting and not two large corporations!
    This still doesn't change the fact that what Intel said is correct but just not all the details!
    Yes Windows 8 will work, maybe not as efficiently as x86!
    Reply
  • Raid3r
    HAHA since when were they "adults"?
    Reply
  • JOSHSKORN
    32-bit needs to die already with Windows 7. It should've died with Vista.
    Reply
  • Assmar
    JOSHSKORN32-bit needs to die already with Windows 7. It should've died with Vista.It shouldn't have been an option at all with Vista. Nip it in the bud, nahmean? The RAM demands of Vista should have triggered some moral or ethical issues at MS with that one.
    Reply
  • randomizer
    You are wrong but we can't tell you why. Guilty until proven guilty?
    Reply
  • mrmez
    So...... Intel is wrong because M$ have no idea how W8 will work.

    Sounds fair.
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    mrmezSo...... Intel is wrong because Intel have no idea how W8 will workFixed that for ya!
    Reply
  • bv90andy
    MS should just have said that they won't comment.
    Although when MS presented it they said that it is the same thing and a "full windows experience"
    Reply
  • cyb34
    "...there'll be no issue."

    That's why.
    Sounds like a guarantee Microsoft is not ready to offer right now.
    Reply