Many key apps are now native for Windows on Arm, like Photoshop, Dropbox, Zoom, Chrome, and Spotify; Prism emulation is good but struggles with heavyweight apps
Tom Warren / The Verge :
Context & Ripple Effects
Windows on Arm’s app gap has been narrowing since Microsoft enabled developers to recompile Win32 software for ARM in the Store in its 64-bit ARM app push. Adobe then brought Photoshop’s ARM beta to Windows, while Google was still testing an ARM64 Chrome build earlier in 2024.
This broader set of native apps matters because a recent Surface Laptop review found native software performed well, but emulated applications could impose a battery cost. Prism improves compatibility, yet the remaining heavyweight-app limitation keeps native support central to the platform’s appeal.
First-order effects
- Windows on Arm users can run Photoshop, Dropbox, Zoom, Chrome, and Spotify without relying on Prism emulation, improving the experience for those apps.
- Heavyweight applications that remain emulated are still a practical constraint, particularly for users whose workflows depend on sustained performance rather than basic compatibility.
Second-order effects
- Software vendors with large Windows user bases face more pressure to ship and maintain ARM-native builds, since prominent productivity, browser, communications, and media apps now set a clearer baseline.
- PC buyers and reviewers can distinguish more sharply between native and emulated workloads; devices benefit most where users’ core app stacks have made the transition.
Third-order effects
- If native coverage continues to expand, Windows on Arm can compete less on its emulation safety net and more on the efficiency and responsiveness of an ARM-first software ecosystem.
- The platform’s pace will still be governed by long-tail professional and heavyweight applications: compatibility can broaden adoption, but native optimization determines whether it suits demanding use cases.
The trend: Windows on Arm is moving from a compatibility-led proposition toward an ecosystem competition in which native support for everyday and professional software is the deciding factor.