Rumor: Microsoft has trial version of Windows Server for ARM servers

Microsoft is working on a version of Windows Server that can run on ARM chips. The American software giant is rumored to already have a first test version, but the plans have not yet been made public.

According to Bloomberg, which spoke to several sources who would know about the plans, Microsoft is still unsure whether it will sell the software. The American company now only offers Windows Server for x86 servers. X86 CPUs are generally more powerful than ARM chips, but less energy efficient.

If Microsoft releases a Windows Server version for the ARM architecture, it could be a big incentive for manufacturers to bring the technology to more devices. Currently, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets mainly run on ARM chips, while the server market is largely in the hands of Intel with its x86 architecture.

Microsoft declined to confirm the rumor to Bloomberg for the time being. Incidentally, there are manufacturers who would be interested in servers with ARM chips. HP said in 2011, for example, that it still wanted to make the CPUs. Competitor Dell also worked on servers with the chips.