Updated: April 14, 2022 (October 2, 2020)

  Analyst Report

Windows CE App Container Leverages Picoprocess

My Atlas / Analyst Reports

829 wordsTime to read: 5 min
Michael Cherry by
Michael Cherry

Michael analyzed and wrote about Microsoft's operating systems, including the Windows client OS, as well as compliance and governance. Michael... more

  • Windows CE App Container allows Window CE apps to run on Windows 10 IoT, potentially extending the life of applications.
  • The feature enables customers to replace specialized Windows CE devices such as handheld data input terminals with new hardware without rewriting their applications.
  • An architecture built around Windows 10 picoprocesses could solve other OS compatibility and migration problems in the future.
  • Although unmodified Windows CE applications can run, it is unlikely that Windows 10 IoT can provide the real-time interrupts on which some Windows CE applications rely.

The Windows CE App Container, which became generally available in Aug. 2020, uses a special form of Windows 10 process called picoprocess to run Windows CE applications. However, it is unlikely that an application using Windows CE for the OS’s real-time interrupt support will run on Windows 10 IoT (Internet of Things) in the same manner it runs on dedicated hardware.

Windows CE App Container

Windows CE is a real-time OS from Microsoft, designed primarily for devices running on x86 or ARM32 processors. It is still utilized for a variety of applications running on specialized devices including point-of-sale devices and industrial automation robots. The last version of Windows CE, Windows Embedded Compact 2013 (also known as Windows Compact 2013) is in Extended support and will reach end of supported life in 2023. (For an illustration of CE and other Microsoft OSs designed for embedded devices, see “Windows Embedded OS Timeline”.)

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