It’s probably going to get easier for Linux users to mount flash drives and SD cards formatted in exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table). As part of its ongoing commitment to the open source OS, Microsoft has published the file system’s technical specifications to facilitate its addition to the kernel.
Assuming it comes to fruition, the company is hoping that a Linux kernel with exFAT support is accepted into the Open Invention Network’s (OIN) Linux definition. OIN membership would effectively minimize patent drama.
exFAT is the Microsoft-developed file system that’s used in Windows and in many types of storage devices like SD Cards and USB flash drives. It’s why hundreds of millions of storage devices that are formatted using exFAT “just work” when you plug them into your laptop, camera, and car.