Microsoft kicked off its Ignite conference with the announcement of a Premium version of Teams. In addition, the tech giant unveiled Microsoft Places, a management solution for office occupancy. Finally, Microsoft launched an integration of Windows 11 and desktop-as-a-service solution Windows 365 Cloud PC.
Microsoft Ignite takes place from October 12 through October 14. Techzine is reporting on the various product announcements made. Stay up to date with the most important news through this overview.
Microsoft kicked off the conference with a series of announcements for Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. First, Microsoft unveiled ‘Teams Premium’, a new offering with higher costs and additional features, including automated minutes.
Second, the tech giant launched ‘Microsoft Places’, a management solution for the occupation of offices. Finally, Microsoft presented a series of updates to desktop-as-a-service solution Windows 365 Cloud PC, including the long-awaited integration with Windows 11.
Teams Premium
Teams Premium is a collection of additional features for Microsoft Teams. The solution will cost more than Teams’ current licenses, but the exact pricing is unknown at the time of writing. The release date was not disclosed.
Customers will have access to multiple AI features, including ‘intelligent recap’. According to Microsoft, the feature is similar to a digital assistant for meetings. The assistant notes the topics of a conversation and generates an overview of tasks to be performed after a meeting.
In addition, users can authorize the assistant to record the highlights of a meeting, allowing key moments to be played back on demand. The assistant is autonomous. A user does not need to be present at a meeting to receive the highlights, minutes and tasks.
Microsoft Places
In addition, the tech giant launched Microsoft Places, a management solution for office occupancy. The software helps plan workstation layouts, employee attendance and meeting room occupancy.
The solution is designed for office managers, though employees have access as well. Microsoft Places allows staff to oversee office occupancy and book meeting rooms or workstations.
Microsoft noted that the solution provides data on how staff use offices, allowing managers to optimize investments in office space.
Cloud PC for Windows 365
Finally, Microsoft launched an integration of Windows 11 and desktop-as-a-service solution Windows 365 Cloud PC. The solution has been available since 2021. Users receive one or more virtual Windows desktops, usable on a device of their choice. The approach is known as desktop-as-a-service.
In August 2022, Microsoft announced a series of updates to Windows 365 Cloud PC. The updates were presented during Microsoft Ignite. A new Windows 365 app makes it possible to launch a virtual Cloud PC from the Windows 11 taskbar.
In addition, Microsoft will soon introduce a new licensing model. The model allows organizations to rent Cloud PCs for a part of a day, such as during business hours. The new licenses will be cheaper than current licenses. The release date is unknown.
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