Microsoft is doing more harm to Arm than good, argues Jon Honeyball

You know that sinking feeling you get when something is not quite right? That nagging doubt that it shouldn't be like this? It was like that when I read that Qualcomm has cancelled its Snapdragon X developer kit, a desktop Mac mini-like box designed for developers to create and test apps for Windows on Arm (WoA).

It had been announced months ago, orders were taken, and then there was silence. Followed by deadlines being pushed back. A handful of units were finally delivered, then a notification went out: "The Developer Kit product comprehensively has not met our usual standards of excellence and so we are reaching out to let you know that unfortunately we have made the decision to pause this product and the support of it, indefinitely."

Why does this matter? After all, it's a desktop box for developers, it's not mainstream. The problem is that it reveals ongoing issues with the relationship between Microsoft and its OEM partners, and its vision (if there is still one) for WoA itself.

A year ago, all signs were positive. Microsoft seemed serious about WoA. It pushed out a version that supported 64-bit Intel code through a code translator, and this was well received: older apps suddenly ran smoothly, as did down-and-dirty code such as drivers. Microsoft was also bringing its mainstream apps to the platform, including Office 365, and it appeared to be carrying third parties with it.

Google Chrome and even some of the Adobe suite has been ported over.