Windows Embedded Technology Roadmap

The Windows Embedded product line is moving toward integrated device platforms and away from componentized embedded OSs. Microsoft’s traditional Windows Embedded products delivered platform software and services for devices such as point-of-sale terminals and industrial robots that were customized for specific business processes and relied on the Windows OS to simplify programming and integration with software written for the Microsoft platform. The current technology roadmap suggests that more development effort will go to specific device platforms and software for Internet of Things (IoT) devices with very small footprints.

This report covers Windows device software and services and the related Windows Storage Server product. Some common Microsoft software (including Windows, Windows Server, and SQL Server) are also available to manufacturers that redistribute the software with devices. These products are technically identical to those sold through volume licensing and other channels, and their technology roadmaps appear in the Enterprise Software Roadmap.