Microsoft Ignite 2021 - Key Talking Points
Another Microsoft Ignite is in the books. This years event featured lots of big news around Microsoft Office, Windows 11, Teams and a slew of other Microsoft products, Here are our biggest announcements and talking points from the event:
Introducing Microsoft Mesh
As Microsoft Teams meetings evolved, features like grid view, Together mode and Presenter view marked the beginning of 2D immersive meeting experiences. With the introduction of Mesh for Microsoft Teams, the next leap for 2D and 3D experiences is on the horizon.
Mesh for Microsoft Teams will enable new experiences with personalized avatars and immersive spaces where users can connect with presence and have shared immersive experiences. With personalized avatars, users can maintain their presence in meetings without turning on cameras. Users can connect with eye contact and express emotions using live reactions that will be represented through avatars. Organizations now can create immersive spaces that resemble physical spaces, such as conference rooms, design centers and networking lounges to enhance camaraderie, spark creativity and foster water-cooler connections.
Mesh for Microsoft Teams bridges the gap between physical and digital, empowering users to connect across devices wherever they choose to live and work from. These experiences will be available as part of Teams on PC, mobile and through mixed-reality headsets.
Because Microsoft Mesh and Teams are secure and scalable by design, organizations can have peace of mind knowing that their data is in their control, protected and secure by default. In addition, users can leverage existing documents, presentations and content from Microsoft 365 and share and collaborate using this content spatially.
Teams users will be able to access these Microsoft Mesh-enabled capabilities in preview, in the first half of 2022. Read the full announcement.
Microsoft Loop
Microsoft Loop, a new app that combines a powerful and flexible canvas with portable components that move freely and stay in sync across apps—enabling teams to think, plan, and create together.
Microsoft Loop consists of three elements: Loop components, Loop pages, and Loop workspaces.
Loop components: An evolution of Fluid components—are atomic units of productivity that help you collaborate and get your work done in the flow of your work—in a chat, email, meeting, document, or Loop page. Loop components can be as simple as lists, tables, notes, tasks, or as sophisticated as a customer sales opportunity from Microsoft Dynamics 365, and because components stay in sync, no matter how many places they live in, you and your team always work with the latest information.
Loop pages are flexible canvases where you can organize your components and pull in other useful elements like files, links, or data to help teams think, connect, and collaborate. Pages are optimized for thinking together and getting work done. They can start small and continue to grow to match the size of your ideas and projects.
Loop workspaces are shared spaces that allow you and your team to see and group everything important to your project. Workspaces make it easy for you to catch up on what everyone is working on, react to others’ ideas, or track progress toward shared goals. Teams can collaborate synchronously or asynchronously whenever inspiration strikes.
Microsoft Loop brings everything together, keeping you and your team more productive, on track, and connected than ever before. Microsoft Loop components across Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Outlook, and OneNote will start rolling out this month.
Teams Connect
Following on from one of Microsoft’s giants, Teams, it was announced that by Q1 2022 we would be able to preview the platform’s shared channels. Teams Connect will facilitate cross-organizational collaboration on a large scale. These shared channels can be shared with individuals and teams from multiple organizations, where there will be a calendar for scheduling meetings with up to 50 teams and unlimited organizations.
Microsoft Customer Platform
This solution focuses on companies that want to gain control of their customer data and deliver connected experiences. Companies will be able to connect directly with their customers, with full ownership of their data and on their own terms.
The platform uses artificial intelligence to predict customer intent better, accelerate time to market, and deliver the right content at the right time and on the right channel. In addition, thanks to AI, customers can be offered a connected experience in a new and more powerful way.