Back in 2013, Microsoft announced that Windows Embedded 8 was available as well as the release dates for other Windows Embedded operating systems.  For those of you who don’t know what Windows Embedded is, think of all the industrial robots that put together cars, or retail point-and-service devices – many of these work on Windows Embedded, which in essence is a tailor-made version of Windows OS, designed especially for these devices.

Read also: How to install Arduino software and drivers on Windows 10

Upgrade to Windows Embedded 10

For customers who already have a Windows 10 Enterprise license, the following table shows the upgrade path for different Windows Embedded devices. The upgrade is not possible for other devices, which must be completely wiped and then reload Windows 10 Enterprise in order to run the new version properly from:

Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Enterprise Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Pro Windows Embedded 8 Industry Enterprise Windows Embedded 8 Industry Pro Windows Embedded POSReady 7 Windows Embedded 8 Standard Windows Embedded Standard 7 Windows Embedded Standard 7 Service Pack 1 Windows XP Embedded

What is Windows Embedded?

Kevin Dallas, general manager of Windows Embedded at Microsoft explains how users can benefit from using Windows Embedded 8: Windows Embedded 8 is a custom version of Windows 8 that works on any device that has the computing power, allowing it to be a part of the Internet of Things, a place where all non-traditional computing devices (any intelligent device that isn’t an actual computer) connect with each other. Windows Embedded 8 will also come in different versions, depending on the type of devices that will run it.

Read also: 7 best Arduino simulators for PC

Availability of Windows Embedded 8 Operating Systems

For the moment, users can use the Windows Embedded Standard Edition or the more powerful Pro Edition and in the near future, we’ll see other products be released from the Windows Embedded Family. These two versions are generally available now, and they can be downloaded via the Microsoft Download Center. OEMs and Businesses will be able to use different versions of Windows Embedded 8, depending on what type of application they need. For handheld devices, the Windows Embedded 8 Handheld SDK will be available later this year, which means that devices running it will be available at the end of 2013 or possibly in Q1 of 2014. [UPDATE] For more information on how to upgrade and enable offline updates on Windows Embedded Handheld devices, see the official blog post. Windows Embedded 8 Industry, which consists of the bulk of the Windows Embedded 8 platform is available from April 2nd, 2013 and it was implemented very soon in point-and-service systems, healthcare systems, and other manufacturing systems. RELATED ARTICLES TO CHECK OUT:

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