Back in 2021, Microsoft announced that it is working on 3D avatars for Microsoft Teams that animate based on vocal cues, without the need for an active camera. Two years down the line and it appears that Microsoft is close to rolling the feature out.
As spotted in an update to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, Microsoft has been testing the feature privately the past few months, and is expected to roll it out in May this year.
“Avatars for Microsoft Teams gives you that much-needed camera break, while still allowing you to collaborate effectively. You can add a new layer of choice to your meetings and represent yourself the way you want with customizable avatars and reactions,” reads the in-development feature’s description.
In a statement given to The Verge back in 2021, Katie Kelly, principal product manager for Microsoft Mesh, alluded that with avatars, users will have a variety of customization options to choose from, and that Teams would be able to animate the avatar with vocal cues such as your tonality.
Microsoft is also reportedly planning to use the same avatar feature for immersive meetings in Meta’s Quest AR/VR headsets.
Image credit: Microsoft
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