UK fabless chip IP company ARM provides the smarts for most mobile and smartphones, amongst other portable and embedded devices.

Everything from Apple's A4 chip (iPhone) to Qualcomm's Snapdragon (Nexus One) and Texas Instrument's OMAP (Palm Pre) architectures use it.

In one sense then, the news that Microsoft is licensing ARM achitecture isn't a surprise. After all it's been licensing ARM architectures since 1997.

Yet, while the details of exactly what technology Microsoft is licensing are confidential, the fact that the press release details "closer access to ARM IP" suggests Microsoft is doing something different than just rolling over its previous agreement.

Preparing for the future

Of course, the context to this is the autumn launch of Windows Phone 7, a platform that requires the OEMs supporting it to use an ARM v7 Cortex or Scorpion or better processor.

"ARM is an important partner for Microsoft and we deliver multiple operating systems on the company's architecture, most notably Windows Embedded and Windows Phone," said KD Hallman, general manager, Microsoft.

"With closer access to the ARM technology we will be able to enhance our research and development activities for ARM-based products."

[source: ARM]