Your Microsoft Teams workplace calls may never be the same after the company announced its latest upgrade.
The new “immersive spaces” feature will take your Teams video conferencing to a whole new dimension, allowing users to “transform their meetings into a 3D experience,” the company says.
This means that instead of your typical blurred background, or even slightly more exciting virtual background, your Microsoft Teams call can now take place in any kind of 3D location or setting you choose (as long as Microsoft built it).
Immersive spaces from Microsoft Teams
The news was revealed in an incredibly short post on company officials Microsoft 365 roadmap.
“With just one click, you can connect with your team in a pre-built immersive space directly from the view menu in Teams meetings,” the company added, without revealing exactly what types of space would be available, or how users would work could go. adding or requesting new additions.
The release says that a first preview of immersive space will be available in October 2023, so users won’t have to wait long for a first glimpse of the new spaces. Microsoft says it then expects to release a full release in January 2024, when the new feature will initially only be available to Windows desktop users.
Built using the new Microsoft Mesh development platform, immersive spaces were first suggested by Microsoft in May 2023.
The experiences, which can be accessed via a PC or a VR headset, will apparently be able to span large virtual locations, offering the ability to move between different rooms or spaces to interact with different teams or individuals, and spatial audio will mean users can seamlessly participate in individual chats or larger discussions with multiple conversations.
The new platform could therefore be used to boost the communication of one team, or form the backbone of a virtual conference or corporate event.
The launch is the latest in a series of additions and upgrades to Microsoft Teams in recent months as the company looks to keep the platform intuitive and attractive to users everywhere.
In May 2023, it also launched virtual Microsoft Teams avatars, giving users the chance to replace themselves with an animated alter ego that offers more customization options, but also spruces up the look and feel of Microsoft Teams conversations.