Aiming to boost its computer business, Microsoft announced on Oct. 26, Wednesday, that it will add a third dimension to its Windows operating system which will enable users to create as well as share photos, drawings and other content in 3D images.
The new tools, dubbed as Windows 10 Creators Update, is being offered free and will be available in early 2017. The upcoming update will enable users to use 3D graphics in the tech giant's widely used PowerPoint presentation, in addition to an innovative "Paint 3D" application.
Speaking at a Surface event, Microsoft Windows and device group executive vice-president Terry Myerson announced that the new update was customized for gamers whose interest in augmented and virtual reality experiences has been growing every day, Reuters quoted him as saying. According to Myerson, the VR accessories for update will be priced at $299 upwards.
In order to make VR accessories available cheaper, the Redmond-based tech titan will team up with several other tech firms, including HP, Lenovo, Dell, Asus, and Acer, who would be developing new headsets incorporating six-degree-of-freedom head tracking. According to Microsoft, it aims to make VR as accessible as possible making common computing experiences livelier.
Aside from the new Windows, Microsoft announced a premium desktop dubbed as Surface Studio. The Studio, priced around $3,000, will target various creators, including artists, architects and engineers. Many such people have been using Apple's Mac computers for long. As the 28-inch display of the Studio is on a flexible pivot, it will enable users to view the monitor directly or at an angle of 20 degrees.
Since 2015, Microsoft has been witnessing a decline in its computing business. The company now hopes that the new features will help it to stand out from the pack, in addition to facilitating it to convince the creative users preferring rival Apple's products to opt for its Surface line, AP reported.
The report quotes Jackdaw Research analyst Jaw Dawson as saying that Microsoft will now need to convince potential customers that the company's products have more value than just being workhorses. However, that will not be an easy task and the scenario will not change at once.
Dawson also said that since the Surface Studio has been priced at $2,999, it will be beyond the reach of most common computer users. Despite the fact that over 400 million devices run on Windows 10, the Windows 10 Creators Update will also face limitations, as most computers continue to run on Windows 7, he added.
Watch how the Windows 10 Creators Update 3D scanning works below: