Microsoft is gearing up to launch its suite of productivity applications, named Microsoft 365, for Apple’s Vision Pro glasses, this suite, including popular applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote, will be available in the Apple Store for the Vision Pro glasses starting February 2nd, coinciding with the glasses’ retail availability.
Enhancing Productivity with Vision Pro
Apple has always positioned its Vision Pro glasses as primarily productivity-focused devices, the integration of Microsoft’s products is expected to significantly enhance user productivity, users of Vision Pro will have access to the AI assistant Copilot while using the headset, enabling them to create drafts, summarize documents, and make PowerPoint presentations using voice commands.
Advanced Features in Microsoft 365 Apps
- Word: The Word app on Vision Pro includes a Focus Mode similar to the Reader Mode in the desktop version, along with an easily accessible ribbon interface.
- PowerPoint: Users can create and practice presentations directly through the Vision Pro glasses.
- Excel: The app provides functionalities to create charts, tables, analyze data, and most features found in the standard Excel versions.
Integration with Vision Pro’s Advanced Capabilities
- Microsoft Teams: While the Teams app already offers 3D meetings and virtual reality experiences exclusively through Meta’s Quest headset, its integration with Vision Pro will not be available immediately, however, Microsoft plans to bring its Mesh platform to Vision Pro in the following year.
- Teams on Vision Pro will support digital avatars based on facial scans during video calls, emoji interactions, and participation in Teams chat experiences.
- Users can easily transfer a Teams meeting from computers or mobile devices to the Vision Pro headset, and vice versa.
Support from Major Companies
Many companies, including Microsoft and Disney, support the Vision Pro headset at launch, though there are notable exceptions, for instance, YouTube and Netflix have not released apps for the headset, requiring users to stream videos via a web browser instead.
This launch represents a significant step in enhancing the utility of AR technology in everyday productivity tasks, paving the way for more immersive and efficient work experiences.
