14 DAY TRIAL // As I've reported during the opening keynote of this year's BUILD conference, Windows 8.1 comes with native 3D printing support, as Microsoft believes that this new technology will gain traction in the coming months.
Creating a 3D object on your computer will be as easy as writing a document in Word and sending it to print, the company explains, so the new operating system makes everything pretty simple.
“This includes all of the things you’d expect from Windows: plug-n-play support for printers, enabling apps to seamlessly submit 3D print jobs, understanding 3D file formats, and connecting lots of apps with lots of hardware to deliver an end-to-end solution for customers. We want this to be so simple that anyone can set up their own table-top factory,” it said.
Prices of 3D printers are also expected to drop significantly, Microsoft explained, so such a feature is very likely to appeal to an increasing number of customers.