Microsoft Teams now lets you hold meetings in 3D and VR, as its immersive chatting platform Microsoft Mesh has now come out of preview.
Microsoft announced Mesh back in early 2021, essentially acting as the company’s foundation for building multi-user XR applications and letting cross-platform users connect in a virtual environment. It’s a bit like the now-defunct social VR platform Altspace VR, which Microsoft shutdown last year, albeit built exclusively for business.
Now Mesh’s immersive meetings have been integrated into Teams, which means you can schedule and join VR meetings directly from your calendar. This supports flatscreen on PC and in VR natively on Meta Quest through the dedicated Mesh app, which now out of App Lab and on the main Quest Store.
Notably, Microsoft is shutting down support for its own Mixed Reality headsets, which means probably no hope of PC VR support. There’s also no mention of HoloLens 2, which was heavily featured back in the 2021 reveal.
There are a few differences in how Microsoft is offering its immersive meetings. Through Teams, you’ll be able to access preconfigured 3D environments, while through its Mesh platform you’ll be able to build and join custom spaces, which Microsoft is pitching to businesses looking to more fully engage with the platform.
Also, the standard Mesh features, including avatars and immersive spaces in Teams meetings, are available with a Microsoft 365 or Teams business plan. Custom immersive spaces are included with a Teams Premium license or the six-month trial for Mesh premium features, and the Mesh app, the company says on in the platform’s FAQ.