Microsoft Ends Support For Windows 'Mixed Reality' Feature (Photo by Tadas Sar on Unsplash)

Tech giant Microsoft has officially ended support for the Windows “mixed reality” feature. This significant feature enabled certain hardware devices and software to tap into augmented and virtual reality technologies. Microsoft has added Windows Mixed Reality in an update to a list of deprecated Windows features.

“Windows Mixed Reality is deprecated and will be removed in a future release of Windows,” wrote Microsoft on its page. The company also added that the deprecation includes the Mixed Reality Portal app and Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta. Microsoft unveiled this feature in a Windows 10 update in 2017. The mixed reality portal app permitted users to access the technology on their personal computers with the use of compatible VR headsets. According to Microsoft, mixed reality is a blend of physical and digital worlds, unlocking natural and intuitive 3D human, computer, and environmental interactions. Apart from Microsoft HoloLens, various firms, including Acer, Dell, Lenovo, Asus, HP, and Samsung, also created mixed reality headsets compatible with Microsoft’s platform.

According to the Reuters report, the tech giant uses mixed reality to describe software that blends both augmented and virtual reality. While virtual reality immerses users in an artificial world through computer-generated experiences, augmented reality overlays sounds, graphics, text, and video on real-world images that users see in front of them. Meanwhile, the Verge reported that Microsoft is continuing to focus on other applications of VR, such as its Microsoft Mesh app. With Microsoft Mesh, firms can leverage pre-made virtual environments for discussions and training sessions hosted digitally.