Microsoft Introduces Mesh for Mixed Reality

Microsoft introduced Mesh in March 2021 as a cloud platform for shared mixed-reality experiences. The idea was to let people represented by avatars or holographic forms occupy the same virtual space even when they were physically separated.

The system built on Azure cloud services, spatial mapping, identity, and real-time synchronization. A collaborative mixed-reality application has to keep the position of users and objects consistent across devices while coping with network latency and different hardware capabilities.

Microsoft demonstrated Mesh on HoloLens but intended the platform to reach VR headsets, phones, tablets, and PCs. The announcement arrived before the “metaverse” became a dominant technology buzzword later that year and showed Microsoft’s focus on enterprise collaboration rather than only social virtual worlds.