Microsoft's Azure Sphere OS brings Linux to IoT devices

IoT’s popularity is increasing significantly with every passing day, and Microsoft wants to benefit from this one way or the other. IoT devices represent the area in which any version of Windows seems to be too much for the limited RAM and small CPUs that are included in the devices. This triggered the limitations around Microsoft Windows 10 as a core operating system for IoT. In other words, Windows became less profitable for the company, and as a result, Microsoft decided that it’s time for a change of vision.

Microsoft is targeting Linux via Azure Sphere OS

Microsoft Satya Nadella did not want to leave Microsoft searching too much for a solution and took a more pragmatic approach of things. This resulted in the announcement of Azure Sphere OS which is a custom Linux distribution that’s designed for small IoT devices connected to the Internet such as various appliances and toys that don’t support Windows as their operating system.

The custom Linux distribution is a part of an end to end design that includes a chip and Microsoft ‘s security features and monitoring. This is the very first operating system that’s being sold by Microsoft, and it’s not created by the company. The design is an open one which means that other companies can also choose to connect the OS to other services apart from Microsoft.

MediaTek may adopt the solution

The Taiwanese chipmaker suggested that it may use this solution. According to Microsoft, the chipset won’t be priced over $10. Microsoft’s decision could turn out to be really profitable, even more profitable than smartphones considering the increasing amount of IoT devices that fill the market these days.

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