What you need to know
- Microsoft's productivity apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams launch for Apple Vision Pro today.
- The apps utilize the unique form factor and feature set of Apple Vision Pro, such as PowerPoint letting you practice a presentation in front of a virtual audience.
- Microsoft Teams on Apple Vision Pro creates a representation of your face when you wear the headset.
- Copilot is supported on the augmented reality headset as well, allowing you to interact with apps by using your voice.
Apple Vision Pro launched today. The augmented reality headset has made headlines everywhere from Vanity Fair to iMore. Over 600 apps are available for the Apple Vision Pro's launch, including several from Microsoft. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Loop, and Microsoft Teams are all available on the new headset.
Microsoft's productivity apps have been available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac for years, so it's a natural evolution to extend them onto Apple's first augmented reality headset.
Rather than just port over its iPad apps, Microsoft optimized its apps for Apple Vision Pro. For example, PowerPoint will let you practice a presentation in front of a virtual audience. Word on Apple Vision Pro supports a focus mode that uses the headset's Immersive Environments feature to remove distractions. Microsoft Teams can create a representation of your face for when you're in meetings while wearing the headset.
Copilot works within Apple Vision Pro as well. The AI-powered tool can help you catch up on meetings, help improve your writing, be used to create presentations, and analyze data.
Microsoft outlined what its apps can do in a Tech Community post.
Apple Pro for productivity
While the $3,500 price tag of the Apple Vision Pro screams professional, the device is marketed heavily toward productivity and general entertainment. The latter has run into some roadblocks, such as YouTube and Netflix lacking apps for the augmented reality headset. But when it comes to productivity, it looks like Apple Vision Pro may live up to its name.
Microsoft is keen to get its software in front of anyone and everyone who wants to get work done. Now, that includes users who own an Apple Vision Pro. The tech giant also put its apps onto Meta Quest late last year, meaning owners of two of the most talked about augmented reality headsets will have ways to use Microsoft's apps and services.
In addition to the Microsoft productivity apps, Apple Vision Pro launches with Things 3, a popular to-do list application our colleagues at iMore covered recently.
Replacing Microsoft HoloLens
Microsoft announced the deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality last year. The news wasn't surprising since no Mixed Reality headset had come out since 2021, but the deprecation left a gap in Microsoft's offering. Without Windows Mixed Reality and its HoloLens headset, Microsoft didn't have an official way to put its apps in front of people within VR and AR. The company quickly changed that.
Microsoft released Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for Meta Quest just over a month ago. Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta) shipped to Meta Quest just before Office was added to the Meta Quest store.
While Meta Quest is probably the most recognized consumer VR headset, Apple Vision Pro has a gravitas that Meta Quest does not. Love it or hate it, Apple has a following. The company turns heads and makes people dance in the streets at product launches. There's no doubt that Microsoft wants to capitalize that hype to get more people to use its productivity apps in augmented reality.
