Pointers of 8 and 16 bit can be used in the same application. The 1 year update agreement ensures that you get the new features introduced within 12 months after purchase. Multitasking support using state machines is available. Many highly reliable and complex systems are built using state machines, for instance in telecommunications. A normal RTOS can impose unpredictable response delays.
State machines are predictable, fast and allows the maximum delay to be calculated.
So, try state machines and discover how you can use PICmicros for complex real time control jobs. The compiler has been and is still leading in generating compact code. Variables up to 32 bit is supported, including bit variables and bit functions. CC5X is suited for real-time applications requiring strong control of the generated code. The code can be inspected in the comprehensive assembly file produced.