Last week, we discovered that Microsoft’ revenue from Azure grew 48% and the company also overtook Apple as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company. But on 3rd November 2021, the company announced something even bigger.

The company has announced a new round of technologies aiming towards making its cloud computing services work in data centers that are owned by their rival companies. Yes, that’s true! Microsoft’s strategy has involved constructing its most remunerative cloud software services, such as database tools, so that they can run inside its own data centers, those owned by customers or even those of rivals like Amazon, Google, and others.

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According to Microsoft executives and analysts, thi strategy has been key to the company’s rise in the cloud computing infrastructure market. From information gathered by the research firm, Gartner, we found that the company estimately hit $64.3 billion and is second only to market leader Amazon Web Services.

Microsoft’s cloud and artificial intelligence chief Scott Guthrie told reporters that the move has persuaded some of their customers to use their services in cases when they cannot always use Microsoft’s data centers. Even citing an example, he said the Royal Bank of Canada which was facing legal requirements to keep some of its computing work in its own data centers and so, they use a technology called Azure Arc to connect those facilities to Microsoft’s cloud.

He added, “The challenge with higher-level services historically has been the concern of lock in – what happens if I can only use them in your data center? That freedom of movement causes customers to feel much more comfortable using those services.”

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According to Ed Anderson, a vice president distinguished analyst from Gartner said that this approach has definitely opened doors for Microsoft with customers, but it also simultaneously forces the company to compete on the quality of its software services rather than by packaging them with cheap computing power. He further added, “To be honest, that’s a better way to compete. Customers are suspicious of rhetoric. They look for evidence of capabilities and are cautious of things wherein principle technology is multi-cloud but maybe the software licensing doesn’t support it.”

Now, Microsoft has introduced Mesh for Microsoft Teams and its roll out is scheduled for next year. What more we can tell you is that the feature combines the mixed-reality capabilities of Microsoft Mesh, allowing people in different physical locations to join and share holographic experiences, with the productivity tools of Microsoft Teams, where people join virtual meetings, send chats, collaborate on shared documents and more.

Mesh for Microsoft Teams introduces a new generation of 2D and 3D meetings. That said, the personalised avatars gives control to users to customise their avatar and use AI to imitate movements and gestures that enable them to bring their physical presence into the conversation, even when their camera is off. The best part is that users don’t need any new special equipment.

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