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| Microsoft announces full HoloLens 2 integration with Thames |
Microsoft said Thursday that the integration between the mixed reality headset HoloLens 2 and the Teams video conferencing service will be enhanced by allowing users to do more than just communicate.
It should be noted that the American tech giant has long supported live video calls with Teams on HoloLens 2, and now users can freely call others, browse and add team contacts to calls, and even view calendars and join meetings.
Microsoft also allows HoloLens 2 users to view content that users share in meetings. The new split-screen live video appears as a 3D image that can be moved and resized.
Teams are primarily used in HoloLens 2 for remote support scenarios where a technician or assistant joins a meeting or calls to walk you through an issue.
Teams users on desktop or mobile see what the HoloLens 2 is showing from the wearer's perspective, much like a GoPro helmet camera records the outside world.
Microsoft will also offer Dynamics 365 On-the-job Training Guides for HoloLens 2, which combine the capabilities of Dynamics 365 Remote Assist and Guides to better adapt the glasses to mixed work scenarios.
HoloLens 2 users can now use text chat during a Teams call and access shared photos or PDFs as holograms during a call. Glasses' integration with the OneDrive storage service enables file sharing and viewing, so all files are synced and available on multiple devices.
The announced software improvements are the first since HoloLens co-developer Alex Kipman left Microsoft earlier this year. Since then, reports have surfaced that Microsoft has canceled plans to release HoloLens 3, with HoloLens 2 expected to be the final version. But now, a new Microsoft Mixed Reality report indicates that the company is working on a new version of it.
Microsoft plans to improve the HoloLens' display, tracking, sensors, and battery life in every major update to the glasses.
It was also revealed that Microsoft was testing a special version of the HoloLens with the US Army, but it did not work well as soldiers complained of headaches, nausea, and eye strain.
Microsoft won a series of deals that could be worth tens of billions of dollars to supply the US Army with augmented reality glasses, which obtained 5,000 pairs last September.