Microsoft and Qualcomm have announced that they will offer selected developers test PCs running Windows on ARM in order to optimize their apps before the platform's launch. Qualcomm has said that this hardware is not representative of what will eventually reach consumers, but instead is designed to give developers early access to the latest technology. Microsoft's Director of Business Planning Stefan Kinnestrand reinforced this point, saying that, "these systems will equip developers to create Metro style apps and offer a rich set of hardware peripherals that plug in and help enable seamless user experiences on the Windows on ARM platform."

The program is invitation only, and Qualcomm isn't giving an idea of how many units it's distributing or whether smaller developers can request access. Each of the test PCs is based on Qualcomm's MSM8960 processor, with Adreno graphics, GPS, LTE, and a full range of sensors and peripherals for developers to utilize.