14 DAY TRIAL // As if working 9 to 5 weren’t enough, Microsoft is now trying to keep you productive even when leaving the office by bringing some of its collaboration tech right in your car.
In the latest such deal, Microsoft and Volvo agreed to install Skype for Business in 90 Series models, including here Volvo XC90, V10, and S90.
The purpose of the collaboration is as simple as it could be: simply start or join a conference call even when you’re behind the wheel, because apparently, there are plenty of people out there who want to do that after leaving the office. Microsoft and Volvo see this is as a big achievement, as the latter becomes the first carmaker to launch an in-car productivity tool.
“We’ve all been there. Sitting in the car trying to join a conference call. You either fumble with or drop your phone while trying to connect or you forget the long pin code to join. It’s not the best way to start an important call in the car. On top of all that your attention is not where it should be - on the road. With the addition of Skype for Business all that goes away,” said Anders Tylman-Mikiewicz, Vice President Consumer Connectivity Services at Volvo Car Group.
Talking to your car (because why not?)
And this isn’t all. Microsoft and Volvo are also working on making Cortana, Redmond’s digital assistant offered on Windows 10 devices, available on select car models, in order to provide drivers with a hands-free input method for their in-car productivity systems.
There’s still no target date for making Cortana available in a Volvo car model, but Microsoft obviously wants this to happen as soon as possible, especially because it’s aiming to make Cortana more widely-adopted across the world. In addition to traditional Windows 10 devices like PCs and smartphones, Cortana will also launch soon on IoT devices, such as fridges, and the first models are likely to be on display at CES.
“Volvo Cars is leading the way in its recognition that the nature of work is increasingly mobile. People need to be productive from anywhere - including their cars,” said Ben Canning, Director of Product Management for Skype for Business at Microsoft. “We’re thrilled to extend modern meetings to Volvo cars.”
This isn’t the first collaboration between Microsoft and Volvo, as the two announced at CES 2016 that Volvo owners would be able to control their cars with a Microsoft Band. Features such as climate control and GPS navigation were supposed to be available via the Band, which in the meantime turned out to be a total fiasco for Microsoft. The company is now reportedly discontinuing the Band, with no third generation planned.