Windows 10 is the next version of Embedded.
However, it doesn’t necessarily replace Compact Embedded. We are continuing to provide Compact for those who want to have a real-time operating system, or do other things that Compact does well.
Windows 10 IoT Core is free.
Pete
Not to be a pain but, Will Windows 10 support Intel Edison as well?
Enquiring minds want to know.
Or Beaglebone Black?
That is a question I would like to know the answer too as well.
Definitely free for the first year to folks running Windows 7 and 8/8.1. As for the pirated versions, there were reports in the press about that, but IIRC, there was some walking back, and I’ve yet to see any official statements to support that interpretation.
Personally, I’m operating on the assumption that the claim that pirated copies would be free to upgrade was a combination of poor messaging and poor reporting. It’s possible that Microsoft is looking for a way to get some folks with non-genuine Windows to go legit, but a blanket freebie for pirated copies seems really unlikely to me. Of course, with all the change happening under Nadella’s leadership, I suppose anything could happen. 
As Bill Gates once said : “And as long as they’re going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.”
Perhaps Nadella has found a way to collect 
Last I heard, unlicensed copies of 7/8/8.1 would “upgrade” into unlicensed copies of 10. Which kinda makes sense. You won’t be legal, but at least you’ll be illegal on the latest version.
Can’t talk about devices other than what we’ve announced: Minnowboard Max, Raspberry Pi 2, Qualcomm Dragonboard 410c.
The Edison is a cool little device, though.
What I’m really looking forward to is if The Pi foundation offers the module form of the Pi 2 like they did with the B+. Assuming we make Windows available on such a thing should it happen (I honestly have no info on either), that will make it really compelling for integrating as-is into a design.
Pete
Full quote:
“About 3 million computers get sold every year in China, but people don’t pay for the software. Someday they will, though. As long as they are going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.”
The context is important. China is a huge piracy problem. They seem to have a fundamental cultural and often government-sanctioned difference of opinion on IP. It’s still amazing to me that almost all manufacturing happens in China and companies are ok with that because it’s so cheap.
Pete
@ Pete Brown - we are a small exception with our local manufacturing
Just got an email from Intel today of new release of Intel Edison board software for the Intel Edison.
With the latest version of the Intel Edison board software, add a Onboard MCU SDK [quote]allows you to add deterministic behavior to Linux* applications as a service, by programming to the built-in RTOS on the microcontroller[/quote]
I agree it is a cool little device… be alot cooler if you were able to run Windows 10 core ;D
@ kiwi_stu - Was this an internal email? I haven’t gotten that info from my channels.
I received the e-mail, also. Here’s the link: Edge, IoT & 5G Development
I was hoping for sure they would bring W10 to Edison. Am I to read into the comments that W10 is not going to support Edison?
No. You’re to read into the comments that we can’t talk about any other potential devices other than the three we’ve announced. We’ve said neither yes nor no to the Edison. 
But it’s not one of the initial 3 announced launch boards.
Pete
Got it…read: “stay tuned for further board announcements”
Technically there is no reason why Windows 10 won’t support Edison. Edison is an x86 Dual core Atom platform! The difficulties must be regarding the chip set and peripherals (i.e. drivers) that would be needed. Also, given that it’s headless (no graphics processor) It would be difficult to test and use that platform as is. Now that the Quark has opened up and there is more access to USB devices, it should be possible to write a usb monitor driver so that a user can plug in one of these usb touch screen monitors (http://www.amazon.com/MIMO-TOUCH2-7-inch-Touchscreen-Monitor/dp/B0052Z996E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431122846&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+monitors+touch) to overcome that problem (I hope).
Microsoft will have to get Intel to make a version of the SDK that runs with Visual Studio (as opposed to the Eclipse that I see they are using).
It generally comes down to drivers. We rely, even on “big” Windows, on chipset manufacturers to provide many of drivers for many of the peripherals (on and off-board). The other boards we’ve targeted all have drivers we’ve co-developed or had delivered to us. Edison would need drivers for Quark and for the other on-board IO and networking, all from Intel. I’m not sure where that stands.
Importantly, it would all have to be headless for the reasons you state (no access to HDMI), which means the interactive app model we’re using for Pi 2, Minnowboard Max, and Dragonboard, would need to be adjusted, or the device would need to be restricted to long-running tasks or something. I’ve never tried to boot IoT core on a device with no graphics driver of any sort. The teams would need to look at that and decide what’s appropriate.
So it’s a bit of work. For now, we have the three announced boards for IoT Core.
Besides just the fact that the Edison is cool (I do like it), what’s the strong interest there? In this hobby/industry, seems like we’re always chasing other stuff when you can do some really cool stuff with what’s available today.
Pete
Should be simple enough to test: Remove graphics driver. See if it starts and runs the remote debugger. Although it prob isn’t just that simple.
My interest is industry. The RPi1 and BeagleBone both have something in common: Because of the position of their ports (ethernet, usb etc) it’s very very difficult to put it in a machine so the ports aren’t covered. In my case I need the ports to be vertical; in line with the PCB because the only place I have in my robot’s case is a 1 inch space between the polycarbonate outer shell and the moving z axis frame. Also, when I’m asked “So what is needed to finish the project Mr. John Smith?” I can’t say “Well I’m waiting on X and Y to perhaps produce a product that I can fit into machine” ← They don’t like that. Edison is here, now, today. If I have to compile mono for that Linux variant: so be it. A RPi2 module isn’t on the horizon; we’re assuming they will. If all else fails I KNOW I can fall back to a G400-D. I won’t have onboard WIFI, and Bluetooth, and it will cost a bunch more; but I can give a reasonable answer.