X
Innovation

Microsoft touts coming Dynamics 365 services and apps for iOS, Android, HoloLens

Microsoft is readying new Dynamics 365 AI- and mixed-reality-centric services and applications for remote-assistance, customized bots and more.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft is readying more new Dynamics 365 applications which officials are touting as AI and mixed-reality-infused. At the "Microsoft Business Forward" conference in Paris on February 21, company officials outlined plans for several new business applications that are in the pipeline. 

Also: The Windows 10 security guide

Microsoft already has been building up its portfolio of Dynamics 365 AI and mixed-reality applications. The next wave of these kinds of applications will coincide with the April 2019 release of Dynamics 365, which Microsoft will be rolling out to customers from April to September 2019. 

remoteassistonphone.jpg
Credit: Microsoft

On the coming-soon Dynamics 365 app list:

Dynamics 365 Remote Assist for mobile devices. Microsoft has been touting its Remote Assist application for the HoloLens for a while now. Coming in a preview for Android first, Remote Assist for Mobile will allow users to work with an Android mobile device in conjunction with the HoloLens (or not) to collaborate remotely and troubleshoot issues. This app will be integrated with Dynamics 365 for Field Service.

I asked Microsoft if/when there would be a Dynamics 365 Remote Assist app for iOS devices and was told by a spokesperson that Microsoft would evaluate this based on customer feedback.

Dynamics 365 Product Visualize. Microsoft officials foreshadowed plans for this application last year at Build. Coming first to iOS devices in preview form, the Product Visualize app is meant to help sellers showcase and customize products in their actual environments in industries like manufacturing, healthcare and automotive. This app will be integrated with Dynamics 365 for Sales and Microsoft Teams.

I asked officials when and if Product Visualize would also be available for Android devices and was told by a spokesperson that Microsoft would evaluate this based on customer feedback.

Dynamics 365 Virtual Agent for Customer Service. This is a new cloud service for creating custom virtual assistants. The public preview of the Virtual Agent is slated to hit in April. At CES this year, Microsoft officials talked up a Microsoft solution accelerator -- a collection of templates and best practices -- designed to help users build their own custom virtual agents based on Microsoft's technology.

Dynamics 365 Fraud Protection. Fraud Protection is another new cloud service for e-commerce merchants, which is meant to help cut back on fraud loss; increase bank acceptance rates; and improve customers' online shopping experience. A public preview is coming in April 2019. 

Dynamics 365 Customer Insights. This is another Dynamics 365 app designed to provide customer information. It's different from the previously announced Dynamics 365 AI for Customer Service Insights and Dynamics 365 AI for Market Insights. It's more focused on helping users retain customers and build loyalty through insights from their data.


Must read


Last year, Microsoft officially designated Remote Assist and Layout, two HoloLens applications developed by Microsoft for business users, part of its Dynamics 365 October release. Officials also said Microsoft was building two other new augmented/mixed reality apps for HoloLens: One for Training and Dev and another for product-focused collaboration, during its Build 2018 developer conference. The Product Visualize app is the latter; the training and dev app has yet to be unveiled.

Microsoft recently published the release notes for its Dynamics 365 April 2019 release, which will begin rolling out to customers on April 5.

In Memoriam: All the consumer products Microsoft has killed off

Related stories:

Editorial standards