Cellular Windows 10 laptops: Microsoft may just beat Apple to the punch
It’s not the first time we hear about cellular PCs. Apple has even built a prototype MacBook, a few years ago, which ended up on eBay, while it never made it to production.
In Apple’s defense, cellular connectivity on laptops was a dicey business to get into, considering the state of cellular data networks, short of a decade ago.
Things have changed somewhat, in the past few years, and Apple was one of the first tech companies to manufacture tablets with cellular connectivity, which includes all commercially available iPad models.
Android tablets have followed suit, but what about actual PCs, like laptops and netbooks?
Connecting to a cellular network for Internet access seems such a natural step, especially with devices like Chromebooks, that need constant tethering to a data network, to be useful. Windows 10 users are better off, however, being able to connect to the Internet where no wi-fi is available, is something of a necessity at least for tech workers, and those who do business and study primarily online, and for whom a mobile phone or tablet just won’t do.
The good news is that cellular connectivity might come to Windows 10 laptops, as soon as suitable mobile processors are ready, such as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835, which is an ARM CPU which will likely be capable of running Windows 10, or at least an ARM-friendly version of it, with support for cellular data connectivity.
While expected performance won’t likely compare to high-end Intel Core laptops, devices powered by Qualcomm’s upcoming CPU will be fast enough to run applications like MS Office, regular web browsing, and allow for video streaming and other lightweight activities.
This also means that Microsoft may have just found a way to compete with Chromebooks, by creating a Windows 10 laptop with LTE capabilities, with a price range able to compete with Chrome OS-powered devices.
This scenario will see the rise of affordable classes of Surface tablets and PCs that won’t run into the same issue as the Balmer-era Surface 2 tablet. Users will be able to run any desktop application they like, so long as the processor is powerful enough.
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