'Beihai': A new app from Microsoft's Windows Apps Studio
It's a new year, so why not start out with a new Microsoft codename?
As discovered by The Walking Cat (@h0x0d on Twitter), there are a handful of recent Microsoft job postings mentioning "Beihai" on the Microsoft careers site.
While some have speculated that Beihai -- the name of a city in China, -- is a codename for an unannounced game from Microsoft, my sources say this is not the case.
"Beihai" is the codename for a new consumer-focused Windows app under development by Corporate Vice President Kudo Tsunoda's new Windows Apps Studio team.
Tsunoda is the former creative director for the Kinect, who also led various Xbox development teams until late last year when he was named head of the newly formed Windows Apps Studio.
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In describing Tsunoda's new job back in November, Terry Myerson, Executive Vice President of Windows and Devices, told the troops via e-mail that Tsunoda's group would build apps across all Microsoft devices that would bring together the company's Windows inbox apps, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft HoloLens experiences, and other unannounced projects. The mission of Tsunoda's team is to bring new experiences to Windows devices using natural-user-interface technologies, such as computer vision, coupled with machine-learning techniques, from what I've gleaned.
One job description that mentioned Beihai described plans for a new app as from the team "that created and will be shipping Skype for HoloLens." The team is now focused on "building groundbreaking 3D experiences across all devices: phone, tablet, desktop and HoloLens," one job posting said.
I'm hearing that "Beihai" will work on/with HoloLens, but also on other Windows 10 hardware, too. Beyond the assertion that Beihai is a consumer-focused Windows app, I don't have more specifics (yet) what it is or when it will be available. I've asked Microsoft officials for comment, but am not holding my breath.
Update: Microsoft is not commenting, a spokesperson said.
Any of my readers have more clues to share?