Microsoft has decided to move all its major upcoming internal and external events over the next twelve months to be online-only.
This decision means the likes of Ignite 2020, Ignite The Tour, the MVP Summit 2021 and Build 2021 will not be physical events as the effects of the coronavirus outbreak continue to be felt.
Events including Microsoft Build 2020, MVP Summit and Inspire 2020 had already been moved online, with the company now looking to experiment with new platforms in order to provide high-quality digital-first experiences.
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Microsoft has not yet decided about taking all its events next year online, and could still host some in-person.
Digital events
“In light of the challenges presented by Covid-19, we are adjusting our event calendar and strategy," Microsoft said in a statement. "For the remainder of 2020, we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms. This is to provide our partners, customers and developers the highest quality, digital-first experiences.”
"We will continue to evaluate the event landscape, but that is what we have to share at this time," the statement added.
Microsoft's events are often extremely popular, regularly attracting between 5,000 to 40,000 attendees every year, and the company appears to be cancelling these events early to give its internal teams more time to get ready to host future editions online.
The company is also said to be upscaling the Microsoft Teams app to host such events in the near future.
Given the changed working environment currently, the company has also posted a detailed how-to guide to inform customers about its various platforms. The guide suggests that Microsoft Teams is an ideal tool for small online meetings or group calls while Microsoft Live is an ideal tool for public addresses or speeches.
Via: ZDNet
