Samsung Korea warns many apps won't run on its Qualcomm-powered Copilot+ PCs
- Reference: 1718859745
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/06/20/samsung_korea_copilot_plus_pc_compatability/
- Source link:
The term "Copilot+ PC" was dreamed up by Microsoft to denote a machine boasting a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of operating at 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS), and therefore fit to run all the shiny AI bells and whistles of Windows 11 at pleasing speed. Microsoft's first examples of Copilot+ PC employed Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processors, which pack 45 TOPS and use the Arm processor architecture.
As most PCs use the x86 architecture, machines built around Arm raise the prospect of old software being orphaned – which would hardly encourage buyers. Microsoft, however, created an emulation layer called Prism that it [1]claims will make "your apps run great, whether native or emulated" on Copilot+ PCs.
[2]
Samsung South Korea begs to differ.
[3]
[4]
In a [5]compatibility notice , the Korean giant warns that many security applications, Adobe Illustrator and Google Drive won't run on its GalaxyBook Edge 4 Copilot+ PCs. Games including Fortnite, League of Legends and Microsoft's flagship shooter Halo Infinite are also unhappy under Windows 11 for Arm and Snapdragon silicon, evidently.
Websites for some South Korean financial services providers are also incompatible with the machines. The compatibility page also warns that certain printers may not work with the machines without new software.
[6]The definition of an AI PC is now even muddier, helping no-one – not even AIs
[7]Microsoft resumes rollout of Windows 11 24H2 to Insiders
[8]Intel, AMD take a back seat as Qualcomm takes center stage in Microsoft's AI PC push
[9]Microsoft's Recall should be celebrated as the savior of SMEs and scourge of CEOs
The Register has checked Samsung sites outside South Korea and was unable to find similar compatibility notices. We've also searched for the product codes listed alongside the laptops in Korea and can't find those elsewhere.
That could be an important clue. In around 2005 Microsoft lost an antitrust case in South Korea and was required to unbundle some Windows components – notably media players. The OS giant produced a Korea-only cut of Windows until at least Windows 10.
[10]
We've asked Microsoft and Samsung to explain the compatibility notice and will inform readers if we receive substantive replies. ®
Get our [11]Tech Resources
[1] https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2024/05/20/introducing-copilot-pcs/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZnP9wn2I2zNRPMmDxkSoswAAANY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZnP9wn2I2zNRPMmDxkSoswAAANY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZnP9wn2I2zNRPMmDxkSoswAAANY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.samsung.com/sec/event/GalaxyBook4Edge/comp/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/05/ai_pc_confusion/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/17/windows_11_24h2/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/21/qualcomm_windows_microsoft/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/12/microsoft_recall_sme_benefits/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZnP9wn2I2zNRPMmDxkSoswAAANY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Charlie at Semiaccurate
It's curious how people are automatically sceptical about anyone who is naysaying the current media push - as if they knew better and were more competent in deciding what was reliable and what is media bullshit.
That's why blockchain, virtual coin scams and AI are so successful. There are competent people raising problems, but nobody is interested. Especially not if "free money" is in the mix.
Until the pyramid crashes, that is, then everybody goes "well yeah, what did you expect ?".
Making one's own opinion is difficult, for sure, but I've always felt a healthy dose of scepticism is a good thing. Even more so when something is being touted as "the next best thing".
If it's true, I have time to see it become true.
Re: Charlie at Semiaccurate
The problem is Semiaccurate’s tone, which is uniformly abusive and scathing about everything
Re: Charlie at Semiaccurate
doesn't mean he's wrong.
I'm very scathing about the fuckers pushing garbage as if it the next wonder of the world.
But if you don't want to know that's on you
Didn't we already go through all this with Windows RT? Great for native apps and web apps, but useless with everything else?
The hope seems to be that expectations have changed. That with more/most people habitually using mobile devices they won't care about legacy device drivers and their old desktop software to the same extent. Whereas, as far as I can see, those are increasingly the only reasons for buying something with a "Windows" label.
Yep
I said the same thing before
https://forums.theregister.com/forum/all/2024/05/09/arm_q4_2024/#c_4859426
Note the downvote ratio. They wanted to believe the hype. I'd like to know when an ARM will native-run x86 code worth a damn [/s]
6 + 5 = 11
You're complaining about a near 1:1 ratio on a post that didn't even hit 20 votes.
Re: 6 + 5 = 11
And...you missed the point completely. Why downvote at all? Did I not speak the truth, proven right here right now in this very article??
Kind of. Windows RT prevented running apps not from the Microsoft Store. Windows 11 on Arm has x86 emulation and allows running anything. That said, the emulation might be too slow for games, or it might break cheat detection and DRM, or it might not be applicable to device drivers in kernel mode.
> Didn't we already go through all this with Windows RT?
We did, though there MS didn't talk about running x86/64 applications as much.
Since then the world has seen a successful example of an OS transitioning from Intel to ARM whilst keeping compatibility with old apps - but from Apple.
But Apple have done it before, from Motorola to Power PC to Intel to AMD64.
Windows has in the past been available on DEC Alpha, MIPS, Power PC, and Itanic, but was never really usable on any of those platforms due to lack of 3rd party support.
The transition to AMD64 worked fine, because AMD64 supports Intel natively.
Userspace emulation is relatively simple and could be improved over time.
The major drawback is incompatibility with any x86 drivers, such as printer drivers or custom device drivers. These would not work, even in the future, unless the manufacturer make ARM drivers (which they probably won't — Brother has no plans for it for their current generation of printers for example).
Can't they just licence AirPrint from Apple? That is one thing Apple definitely does better than anyone else.
More landfill
It would benefit a lot of software companies if Microsoft could convince customers to break the legacy compatibility link with new Windows versions. Everyone benefits, software companies sell new versions of their products, the hardware manufacturers can stop updating drivers for products, and sell you a new thing. Extra double-plusgood is the opportunity to lock down new laptops so they only run signed MS OSes.
You users? Buy new stuff, or no computer for you!
Charlie at Semiaccurate
Wrote a long article talking about all the problems based on what insiders at the OEMs were telling him. People seem to be skeptical since most of his articles are negative in tone and they wanted to believe Qualcomm and Microsoft's promises. But now that independent reviews are out, it seems like just about everything he was saying is being confirmed.