Google’s temporary retreat on RISC-V is a good example of the kind of basic stumbling block that a new architecture faces on the road towards mainstream - the lack of a mature and unified ecosystem. Most are familiar with the Arm ecosystem, with Qualcomm doing its thing in the laptop market currently with Windows on Arm devices, and Arm already has a foothold in the mobile ecosystem with companies such as MediaTek using the architecture to full effect within its flagship mobiles. But where does RISC-V potentially fit into the equation?

Even Microsoft and Qualcomm are having massive challenges with launching WoA and they’ve been at it for what seems like more than a decade. It’s not only about the smartphone apps, but everything else that comes with it; the whole “supply chain” and ecosystem.