Autonomous agents, Wave 2 of Copilot, unified Windows App, Citrix bringing macOS via VDA, Mitel-Zoom partnership and more...

Hello all,

This was a very happening week with so many great events, announcements and updates. I am sure you have seen most of it, but lets have a re-look.

Before we look at the key updates from the last week, wanted to share that my recent podcast with Forbes India is now live. This is about the enterprise clients' low satisfaction and not-so-great experience with generative AI outsourced projects. You can access the podcast here:

Also, you must have read about Amazon mandating its employees to return to office completely starting January 2025. They arent the first ones. Many large firms have made such decisions. This is despite knowing the benefits of remote and hybrid working. The common argument given is the necessity of in-person collaboration. But are they implementing a new or innovative approach for in-person collaboration, or is it the same in-person collaboration they had before the pandemic? I doubt these mandates will do any good if it is the latter. Our perspective here:

Let's have a look at some of the key highlights of the past week.

End user technology

Windows App is here

微软 has announced the arrival of the new Windows App, which is like a gateway for everything Windows. More details here:

News such as this one wouldn't have gone so unnoticed if we weren't living in the age of AI. Right now, I use different apps for OneDrive and Microsoft 365. This new app simplifies a lot of things. It does not only support accessing your documents and content but also your entire Windows desktop experience by integrating functionalities of Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. A great tool for enterprise IT admins who need to prepare their employees for mobile devices and MDM usage!

Citrix to provide macOS desktop sessions to any device

Citrix announced that its VDA solution can provide macOS access to any device. More details here:

Delivering virtual desktop instances for macOS is rare and complicated because of the requirement of Apple-only hardware to run macOS, licensing, lack of demand and economies of scale. However, Citrix is delivering this offering in partnership with specialized vendors such as MacStadium and Amazon EC2 Mac Instances. VDI and DaaS has mostly been about Windows and Windows desktops. Many believe that VDI will be needed till the time we need Windows desktop and Windows legacy applications. However, with this move, a traditional VDI stalwart Citrix is foraying into providing macOS virtualization. Exciting times it is, and the scope of VDI is actually changing beyond the Windows-only environment, something I predicted at the start of 2024. (See #5 in this article!)

42Gears and Hexnode expand in the Indian market with partnerships

42Gears and Hexnode both announced separate partnerships with Ingram Micro and Inflow Technologies to expand their presence in India. More details here:

Both India-based UEM providers are trying to expand their footprint among clients in the country. While 42Gears consider Ingram Micro more as a distributor, Hexnode is partnering with a local system integrator and managed service providers. Hopefully, these two vendors can drive cost-conscious Indian buyers away from some of their large competitors.

Managed Workplace services

Ricoh and LG collaborate

RICOH Company Limited announced a new partnership with LG电子 for enhancing communications in digital workplace. More details here:

As firms invest in more in-office work, enhancing employee experience with office experience and leveraging solutions such as digital signages, displays, etc., become very important. This partnership is timely and valuable for both LG and Ricoh.

Unisys highlights new AI-enabled DWS services implementation

优利系统 announced that it has recently observed three key areas with high client traction: AI, cross solutions and hybrid cloud services. More details here:

The example of helping a restaurant client by reducing incident tickets leveraging AI is an interesting one, and as Unisys has rightly put, illustrates the value of RoI with AI.

Connected and Collaborative work solutions

Microsoft showcases Copilot Wave 2

微软 showcased significant updates to its Copilot solution. More details here:

What Microsoft calls Wave 2 may be portions of features that some of its competitors have already unveiled in the field of UCaaS and productivity. Still, some features, such as the ability to create a narrative before a presentation, are a great addition. Its new version of Copilot also allows users to create their own agents, define their roles and responsibilities in natural language and let them start delivering results on day 1.

Salesforce Agentforce and Slack's AI

Did I say 'AI agents'? How' bout 'autonomous agents'? Salesforce in its annual conference Dreamforce showcased its new Agentforce platform. Slack too showcased some of the cool things it has brought in its platform. I have written in detail about them here:

Disney ditches Slack for Teams?

Speaking of Slack, this week, Disney is rumored to have announced internally that they are moving away from Slack to Teams. More details here:

This is not a good news for Slack and certainly a booster for Microsoft. However, as per what I have seen the user experience would be terrible for those who would have to switch from Slack to Teams. Disney has to invest heavily in adoption and change enablement.

ClickUp brings Chat

ClickUp has introduced Chat functionality in its platform. More details here:

As the lines between collaborative work management and work itself are blurred, we will witness more such developments. ClickUp's aim to bring everything under one platform is the ultimate goal, and the connected and collaborative work solutions that proceed with that goal in mind will succeed.

Zoom gets FedRAMP certification

Zoom announced that its tailored platform for government has received FedRAMP certification. More details here:

Getting a rather change-averse industry to adopt not only a dedicated new platform but also associated AI components is a feat in itself. Seeing how Zoom progresses with U.S. government bodies as its clients will be very exciting.

Zoom and Mitel new partnerships

Zoom and Mitel announced new exclusive partnership in the UCaaS and collaboration space. More details here:

Almost a month ago, Mitel ended a similar exclusive partnership with RingCentral and I predicted its re-entry in the UCaaS market. It has done so with this partnership. Mitel's existing clients benefit as they get access to not just cloud calling but also the AI-enabled collaboration solution with Zoom Workplace. Zoom gains with a widened client base who are not all focused on cloud.

Zoho analyzes collaborative work patterns in Middle East and Qatar

Zoho conducted a study analyzing trends in work, collaboration and productivity apps in the Middle East and particularly in Qatar. More details here:

According to the study, there are significant gaps in the working priorities and expectations from a connected and collaborative work solution perspective in the region. I hope Zoho is able to address these issues for its clients in the region.

Before we end, I will be speaking in a private webinar about trends in Remote Support services in the coming week. If you are a system integrator or managed service provider, please reach out to me, and I will share the link to attend the session.

That's all for the week, folks. Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below. Feel free to share this with anyone you think would be interested in the content. Thank you so much for your consistent support!

.Thanks

-M