Microsoft and Meta seemed like they have been on a collision course final 12 months, poised to compete closely for the way forward for work within the metaverse. But at the moment, each firms introduced they’re partnering to collaborate on how individuals will work and even sport in digital actuality. That begins with Microsoft bringing its greatest companies — Teams, Office, Windows, and even Xbox Cloud Gaming — to Meta’s Quest VR headsets.

It’s a shock partnership that may see Microsoft and Meta mix their strengths. Microsoft sees a possibility to carry Teams and its different productiveness experiences to a succesful VR headset, and Meta will get a key companion in its grand metaverse plan.

“We are bringing a Microsoft Teams immersive meeting experience to Meta Quest in order to give people new ways to connect with each other,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated throughout Meta Connect at the moment. “You can connect, share, collaborate as though you were together in person.”

The Teams expertise the brand new Quest Pro and Quest 2 headsets will even embrace Microsoft adapting Meta’s avatar system for Teams and Teams getting help inside Meta’s personal Horizon Workrooms. “People will be able to join a Teams meeting directly from Workrooms,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated through the occasion. “We think that this cross-device, cross-screen experience will be the foundation of the virtual office of the future.”

This digital workplace of the longer term received’t simply be about conferences. Microsoft is bringing Windows 365 to Quest, the corporate’s platform for streaming full variations of Windows to units.

“With Windows 365 coming to Quest, you’ll have a new way to securely stream the entire Windows experience, including all the personalized apps, content, and settings to your VR device with the full power of Windows and Windows applications,” Nadella stated.

Microsoft can also be bringing 2D variations of its Office apps to Quest via its Progressive Web Apps (PWA) know-how. These received’t be full-blown 3D variations of Office designed for VR, but when there’s an urge for food for VR within the enterprise, then it’s simple to think about Microsoft adapting them sooner or later.

Xbox Cloud Gaming will even make its method to Meta’s Quest VR headsets, permitting Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to stream video games. It’s not going to be as immersive as a local VR expertise for Xbox video games, however you’ll be capable to choose up an Xbox controller and play them on a large display screen projected inside a Quest headset.

The key right here is that this shut and strange partnership between Meta and Microsoft. While the pair have collaborated on Teams for Meta’s Portal units and on some integrations for SharePoint and Outlook, that is the primary massive partnership for the reason that deep Facebook integration in Windows Phone greater than a decade in the past.

Microsoft seems to be hedging its personal bets on the way forward for work in VR and AR headsets, or as Microsoft likes to name them, blended actuality. Microsoft has beforehand experimented with Windows Mixed Reality VR headsets, however it by no means manufactured its personal gadget, and the software program work was lackluster in comparison with extra established gamers like Oculus (now Meta Quest) or Valve and HTC. Microsoft had invested extra closely in HoloLens, its AR headset that it has pitched to companies as the way forward for collaboration.

Alex Kipman, who led Microsoft groups that developed the corporate’s HoloLens headset and the Kinect movement controller, resigned after allegations of verbal abuse and sexual harassment earlier this 12 months. That’s left the way forward for HoloLens doubtful, significantly as rumors counsel Microsoft has scrapped plans for HoloLens 3.

That makes the timing of Microsoft’s Meta partnership significantly intriguing, as Nadella seeks to align Microsoft because the software program and productiveness instrument firm for VR units as a substitute of the producer. “We’re taking an approach to ensure that our software can benefit users on all their favorite devices, and that’s why I’m so thrilled about what we’re announcing today and how we’re bringing together the power of many of our most popular productivity tools with the new VR devices you’re announcing,” Nadella stated.

Meta now has a key ally in its bid to make the metaverse a actuality, simply as there are clear indicators it’s going to be a difficult surroundings to get proper. Meta has tried for years to make inroads with enterprise prospects via its Workplace platform, however by partnering extra intently with Microsoft Teams in VR, it’s a transparent admission of defeat relating to the way forward for office productiveness and collaboration apps. Microsoft’s Mesh work for Teams was significantly spectacular in digital conferences final 12 months, so it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how the corporate brings that to life in Meta’s Quest headsets.

It’s nonetheless early days for this partnership, with extra particulars on precisely when these experiences will land within the coming months. You can count on to listen to extra about Teams and maybe Microsoft’s 3D metaverse avatars tomorrow, as the corporate is holding its Ignite convention in Seattle, the place it’s going to talk about the way forward for work, safety, and extra.