Microsoft has held off making a version of Windows 11 available for Apple’s M1-based Mac lineup that is built on ARM architecture due to an until-now secret exclusivity deal with Qualcomm.
XDA-Developers reports Arm-based Windows has only been made available on devices with Qualcomm SoC’s because of a soon-to-expire deal between the two companies.
While two people familiar with the deal told XDA that the deal is “set to expire soon” but no specific expiration date is currently known. When the Microsoft/Qualcomm exclusivity deal does expire, it will allow other chip vendors to create ARM-based machines running Windows. It may allow Microsoft to make a version of Windows for Apple’s ARM-powered Macs.
Apple Silicon Macs lack the ability to run Boot Camp, as well as no official Windows support. While Apple Silicon Mac owners have had some success in running certain builds of Windows 10 and Windows 11 via Parallels 16.5 or later, but there are several issues with running Windows in that way.