Leaked Windows 10 docs detail  512MB RAM limitations

Microsoft's promise for the Windows 10 update is "no man left behind," but there was a suggestion that 512MB RAM devices may have limited functionality. Leaked guidelines detail just what kind of experience legacy devices can expect.

The documentation claims that around 97% of third-party apps will run on 512MB handsets. However, fewer apps – between none and two – will be put in a dormant state when you switch away. That means that "Resuming..." screens will be more common. Also, only two tabs of memory-intensive websites will be kept in memory, causing others to reload.

Then there are some simple things like HDR images. They will be lower quality since these handsets can only capture three 5MP shots, instead of five 8MP ones.

Leaked Windows 10 guidelines

Some more worrying limitations are for navigation apps. Tracking location is possible in the background, unless active apps grab too much memory. Presumably this means that a navigation app in the foreground will not have issues, only ones in the background may be booted off.

VoIP (Skype and such) running in the foreground are estimated to require 120MB RAM at most, 20MB in the background. This may affect an apps ability to handle video calls, receive incoming calls and supporting the call if you switch to another app.

Things don't sound too bad, at least not worse than they currently are. "Resuming..." screens are common with 512MB phones right now, though the magnitude of issues experience by background navigation and VoIP apps remains to be seen in practice.

Again, this is only for legacy devices. New Lumias, even the lowly Microsoft Lumia 430 come with at least 1GB of RAM and will not have these issues.

Via