Microsoft not only announced a new generation of Windows last year, but also launched Windows 11 in the autumn, and now the company has set another preview event to highlight the “exciting future” of “Hybrid Work, Powered by Windows.” The event is scheduled for April 5th at 11 a.m. ET will include Microsoft executive Panos Panay demonstrating Microsoft’s security, productivity, and management capabilities, both on-premises and in the cloud.
What precisely does that entail? While the event page is sparse in its description and Microsoft has not publicized the event publicly, we have seen plenty of hints regarding the type of hybrid work solutions and security technologies Microsoft is developing for organizations where the “office” is more of an idea than a physical location. This includes subscriptions to Windows 365 for cloud-based PCs accessed via a web browser, the launch of its Fluid foundation for Microsoft Office programs (rebranded as Loop), and a clear vision for the future of meetings with Microsoft Teams.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, noted this year that “hybrid work represents the generation’s greatest revolution in how we work.” And it will necessitate the development of a new operational model that spans people, locations, and procedures.” Naturally, his LinkedIn post included a screenshot of a metaverse meeting filled with strangely rendered avatars, and Nadella has made numerous references to the term since then, so it will be interesting to see how much of that comes up or does not in the presentation, as well as whether we see more of Microsoft Mesh.
