Microsoft Build 2017: Satya Nadella Talks Windows 10, AI & Cloud

Here’s a look at everything Microsoft announced during the Build 2017 keynote address.

Satya Nadella at the Microsoft Build 2017 keynote. (Photo Courtesy: Microsoft)

Microsoft’s annual developer conference, Build 2017, kick-started on Wednesday evening, with the software giant announcing that Windows 10 was now running on 500 million devices. The company also called on developers to come up with cloud computing solutions apps.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella delivered the keynote address, in which the company sums up its accomplishments. This is a developer conference, where Microsoft talks up future trends and tells the developer community what should be the focus areas for new apps.

Ever since Nadella took over the reigns at Microsoft, cloud computing has been a big focus area for the company. Going forward, they are also keen to push Cortana (via artificial intelligence) for home as well as business use. Here’s everything Microsoft showcased and talked about at the event.

(Photo: Rhythum Seth/The Quint)

(Photo: Rhythum Seth/The Quint)

Windows 10

Windows 10 offers a free upgrade for Windows 7 and 8 users and promises a better user experience. (Photo: AP Screengrab)

(Photo: Rhythum Seth/The Quint)

Microsoft claims that over 500 million active devices are running on the Windows 10 operating system. However, the company is most likely to fall short of its target of 1 billion devices by mid-2018.

There was no mention, though, of Windows 10 Mobile during Nadella’s keynote address, so in all probability the number shared must be confined to PCs alone (and including Surface Pro and Surface Book).

Also Read: Microsoft Brings Windows 10 S, Will Run on $189 Priced Laptops

Cortana

Microsoft is set to take Cortana beyond mobile phones. The voice-activated software will be soon available for connected cars (something that Tata is already working on with Microsoft) and in Cortana-enabled speakers.

For this, Microsoft has joined hands with Intel and HP to make Cortana-powered speakers, similar to Amazon’s Echo and Google Home devices.

Laura Jones, senior product marketing manager, demonstrating Cortana for cars at Microsoft Build 2017. (Photo Courtesy: Microsoft)

In addition to hardware integration, Microsoft also announced Cortana skills set, which opens up the ecosystem to third-party developers. This way, Cortana could become capable of matching up to Google Assistant or Apple Siri in the near future.

Translate Those Presentations

Microsoft has created a tool that most business users have been craving for: a real-time PowerPoint translator.

PowerPoint gets a powerful tool. (Photo Courtesy: Microsoft)

The tool translates content from any presentation into languages such as Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. That’s not all, the translator plug-in also offers translated subtitles in real time.

Azure Comes to Android, iOS Devices

Android and iOS users get the Azure cloud app. (Photo: Reuters)

Microsoft’s Azure cloud app is now making its way to Android and iOS mobile devices. This way, Azure cloud users can use/monitor their data on the go. This could be a worthwhile addition to the small business segment across the globe which relies on Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem on a day-to-day basis.