Microsoft announces Microsoft Mesh to be used on Microsoft Teams

It goes without saying that many businesses are looking to encourage or entice their employees to make their way back to office working, however Microsoft is putting into practice something that we often refer to as a new type of ‘hybrid’ working. With this in mind, Microsoft recently announced the launch of Microsoft Mesh which enables employees to have avatars that meet in the same place even if the actual people aren’t all together at the same time. This new product is powered through the use of Microsoft Teams. 

Microsoft hasn't released this new feature on a whim, it has been actively testing this new feature out on some of its core clients such as Accenture and Takeda. The CTO of Takeda, Leo Barella was quoted as saying “The world of work continues to evolve at a rapid pace, but the importance of human connection has never gone away. Lunchtime conversations, hallway catch-ups, coffee chats — they often hold the key to both workplace success and employee happiness," He went on to add that their meetings had been much more engaging than they were before using Mesh as part of Microsoft Teams. 

So, put simply what does Microsoft Mesh do? 

You will find that Mesh creates a whole host of pre–made spaces that businesses can tailor with everything from engaging videos to logos – without having to use any coding. You will find that the Mesh toolkit is driven via Unity, Microsoft’s 2D and 3D development platform to make the virtual world even more tailored. Put simply, if there is a retreat an employer has always wanted to go to, they are able to build a version of it and invite everyone to it. 

Ok, great! How do I get Microsoft Mesh? 

You will find that Microsoft’s Mesh is currently only available on desktop PCs and Meta Quest VR devices. Microsoft is giving anyone a 6-month free trial if they have a business or enterprise plan. If you don’t have either of them, prices will typically come in at around $4 per user per month for Microsoft Teams Essentials all the way up to $57 per user per month to Microsoft 365 E5. 

Next Steps? 

If you are a business that is looking to take advantage of Microsoft’s Mesh product by buying Microsoft 365 licenses from Advantage, you can speak to one of our IT experts about your needs or purchase Microsoft 365 licensing through our Advantage Marketplace. 

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