Microsoft and Meta are committed to Metaverse. For this reason, to offer us immersive experiences for the future of work and play, to make us feel, even, closer, they signed an alliance last week.
Is there a new paradigm in the future of work?
There is no doubt about that. Over the past two years and a half, the society, and the way we relate to each other, has changed. We are immersed in a completely different world from the previous one. As companies and employees settle into the new post-pandemic Era, the way we work together is changing radically.
Moreover, we can work from our home, the office, a warehouse or, even, from the street. It doesn’t matter the place where we connect from nowadays, it is no longer so much about where the work is done, but about the experience we live and with whom we share it while working.
New ways of working have arrived in this period. We have come from working all together at the same office to working remotely, in isolation and separately from the others. Thanks to technological advances, we have barely noticed that remoteness. It has managed to put people, communications, and workflows at the centre.
In addition, an important sign of that the future of work is already here is, that Microsoft Teams has become a ubiquitous platform, during this period. Most of the companies are using it as collaborative tool in their businesses. During the pandemic, Microsoft Teams had 270 million monthly active users.
Where is the future of work leading to?
Although we are getting used to working remotely, people need to feel close and connected to the others again. We wish to return to co-create, collaborate, make decisions and work together, regardless of the place we are. For that reason, the Metaverse will play a crucial role in the future of work. In fact, according to the latest data extracted from the Job Trends Index prepared by Microsoft, 50% of millennials and Z generation (people were born between 1981 and 2012) believe that, in the next two years, they’ll do much of their work in the Metaverse.
That is the reason why, Microsoft, seeking to satisfy their users’ needs, has teamed up with the giant Meta Platforms, to offer part of its Microsoft 365 products in the Metaverse.
How is this alliance going to push the future of work?
On the one hand, Microsoft will bet for Mesh, its application that, through mixed reality experiences, allows users to connect with a 3D avatar, sharing spaces and collaborating with the others from any type of devices and from wherever they want to.
On the other hand, Meta will use its Quest 2 and Quest Pro devices, VR headphones designed for professionals, who are looking for connectivity at their jobs and doing tasks with others, in the Metaverse.
For this reason, companies that are betting for their growth and the future of work in virtual environments, will have available some of the Microsoft 365 applications, in Meta Quest devices, allowing their professionals, not just sharing information, and working with different Microsoft tools, but also increasing their productivity and favouriting the decision making in of their organization.
Likewise, it is expected that, soon, Meta Quest devices will come with Windows 365 integrated on it. It will allow, not only streaming from a PC with Windows Cloud, but also making some personalized configurations, having different contents, and customizing the applications.
Will it be easy to implement by an organization that bets for the future of work in the Metaverse?
Although a company may find it difficult and dangerous to implement Meta Quest in its organization, the reality is that, thanks to Microsoft Intune and Azure Directory, IT Departments will be able to acquire a Quest for Business subscription from Meta for each of their users, which will allow to transfer the administration and security options of their different devices and PCs to their VR Quest.
Could it be used in gaming?
Microsoft y Meta don’t want to stop in professional world, they´re looking at how to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to Meta Quest Store, porting lots of their Xbox games to different devices, including Meta Quest Platform.
The future is now
This alliance seeks to give a steep forward to the future of work. The innovation and personal relationships are even more important, helping to develop our projects easily, improving our way of working, helping us to be closer to our collaborators, in the Metaverse.
Finally, it should be noticed that Microsoft, as it did with Hololens 2, is betting for Mixed Reality, the security and the Metaverse with this alliance, trying to be each day closer to the future.
Would you like to know more about this alliance? Would you like to know how it can improve your company results? Bravent wants to help you to grow.
Would you like your team to live immersive experiences in the Metaverse?
Contact us! One of our experts will advise you!
We recommend you read: Mixed Reality at Industry 4.0: HoloLens 2 and its value to the manufacturing sector
