Highly anticipated: It's finally happening. We've long heard about the general release of SteamOS, but Valve has now made it official with the launch of a new version of the operating system. The patch notes for SteamOS 3.7.0 Preview mention "Beginnings of support for non-Steam Deck handhelds" as one of the key additions. The line is vague but it officially confirms Valve's intent to open up its Linux-based gaming OS to a wider ecosystem of mobile gaming hardware beyond the Steam Deck. The release also features a newer Arch Linux base.If you've been keeping track of developments, you probably already know that this has been an open secret for a while. Valve representatives previously hinted at plans to broaden SteamOS availability.Moreover, Sadlyitsdadley on X fanned the flames late last week with an "It's almost here" post showcasing the SteamOS logo boot screen on an unspecified device.As for what exactly this move means for the handheld gaming landscape, well, in short, it could shake things up considerably for the Windows dominance we've seen so far. The Lenovo Legion Go S is currently the sole globally available device that boots SteamOS. // Related StoriesThe key selling point of SteamOS has been its optimization for gaming performance compared to Windows. However, by stripping away bloat and overhead, Valve has crafted an OS that can squeeze maximum power from portable hardware. That kind of gaming prowess could be especially beneficial on underpowered hardware.Of course, the other big potential upside is opening up new frontiers for running SteamOS on unexpected devices and form factors. We've already seen industrious tinkerers managing to load the OS on everything from old laptops to smartphones.That said, SteamOS still has some catching up to do versus the robust software ecosystem around Windows. While gaming is the priority, other apps and utilities will still be playing catchup compared to what's available on Microsoft's platform. There are also potential compatibility headaches as developers work to adapt games and apps to SteamOS and Linux.Even so, the prospect is exciting. Windows has had a hold on portable gaming outside of Nintendo's domain, but Valve is set to offer a compelling alternative soon, hogging the spotlight.You can find the complete announcement and the lengthy patch notes on Steam's official website.