'ARM is part of the strategy' says Microsoft, but there's 'no insight to share' on Windows RT

'Commonality and convergence' remains focus, says platform strategy GM

ARM remains "part of the strategy" for Microsoft's ongoing programme to "drive increasing commonality and convergence" between Windows and Windows Phone, the company's GM of platform strategy, Tim O'Brien, has told Computing.

Following widely-reported leaks that Windows 8.1 Phone software apparently sports a "universal apps" feature in its SDK, Computing initially asked O'Brien for confirmation of Windows RT's continuing to have a place in the platform roadmap for the Windows ecosystem.

O'Brien replied: "to address the RT thing head on - ARM is part of the strategy".

"We'll provide a multitude of different chipsets. It has been - I think we've stated publicly on a number of occasions - that choice of device, form factor and screen size always has, and will be part of the value proposition of Windows."

Computing asked whether this contradicts Microsoft head of devices Julie Larson-Green's November 2013 statement, in which she said: "We have the phone OS, we have Windows RT, and we have full Windows. We are not going to have three."

"I have no insight to share on futures, but as relates to developers, a big part of what we're trying to do is eliminate as much of the disparity as we can to speed along the process," replied O'Brien.

Windows will "continue marching down this path to a single application platform, single browser, single set of apps across all devices", O'Brien added.

While ducking the question in this way feels tantalisingly close to an admission that the rumours may be proved true and that Windows RT will be wiped from the board and be merged with Windows Phone, the world will just have to wait - at least until Microsoft's Build conference at the beginning of April.

Computing will be in attendence at Build, so stay tuned for full coverage of any platform-based revelations.