Microsoft will release two streams of its Windows 8 operating system: Windows RT for ARM devices and Windows 8 for x86-based hardware. This division is certain to introduce much confusion in the world of browsers.
This single operating system with two different names apparently does have some differences. For example, Microsoft has announced that no browser other than Internet Explorer 10 may reside on Windows RT. This means no Google Chrome, no Firefox, and no Opera (or any other browser users or developers may wish to use instead of IE). This will not be an obstacle on Win8 for x86. Another difference is that Windows 8 for tablets and PCs will ship with two styles of interface: Metro with tiles (icons) and a view with the traditional desktop.
The system will support two types of applications: those designed to be operated by touch screen Metro programs (developed using the WinRT library) and standard applications based upon the Win32 API.
It could happen that a single system could have, by default, two browsers installed – each of them referred to as Internet Explorer 10! They would be quite independent of each other as one would be in desktop mode and the other in Metro. Creators of alternative browsers and other tools should also provide two versions of their programs.
News of the browser restriction on Windows RT has not been well-received by browser solution-developers, particularly Google and the Mozilla teams, as they argue in support of freedom of choice for users. They accuse Microsoft of limiting competition, something Microsoft was called to task on some years earlier in its losing battle against the U.S. Department of Justice.
Is it possible that the company has significant problems with the programming interface of Windows 8 RT, restricting its browser support to IE? This is pure speculation but, if true, certainly releasing a buggy API could adversely affect public opinion about the quality of Windows 8.