It appears Microsoft is planning to reorganise its augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality assets by unifying them in a new organisation – in addition to setting up a new Mixed Reality Studio.
This insight has been provided by Brad Sams from the IT knowledge base, Petri.com, reporting that an inside source has detailed a reshuffle.
At the core of the reorganisation is the combining of the Microsoft Every Day Magic line-up with its Evoke Studios. EDM involves Paint 3D, Mixed Reality Viewer and the development of AR, VR and MR applications and Evoke is centred on its photo and video applications.
As part of this shift it has also been reported that cuts have been made, with Sams adding that some changes have involved employees working on both apps for Windows 10 and those working on mixed reality applications.
The setting up of a new Mixed Reality Studio has also been reported, a step that according to Sams will be honing in on developing Mixed Reality use cases in the modern workplace. Emphasising the importance Microsoft is placing on this project, team members from other areas have reportedly been moved on to it from other areas.
Microsoft has previously presented offerings pertaining to mixed reality in the workplace, when in early 2017 Microsoft announced a project it was working on with Trimble and the University of Cambridge to explore the potential for using the Hololens in construction.
Online biometric payments brought to Europe by Mastercard
IT jobs boom but skilled candidates failing to apply
IBM revenue breaks losing streak, but shares still fall
Trends in this space are shifting as VR has been overtaken by AR technologies, particularly in terms of enterprise applications in which existing services are being streamlined and disrupted.
In 2017 the Apple CEO, Tim Cook, came down on the side of AR, saying that he saw the future of the technology dwarfing that of VR. Cook believes VR is isolating for the user, while AR is able enhance the real world.
