Microsoft Unveils Porsche Design 2-in-1 Laptop; Opens Up Windows Hello Platform

Microsoft has made several announcements at Computex in Taipei. The company showcased a Windows 10 2-in-1 made by an undisclosed OEM and Porsche Design. Furthermore, Microsoft also opened up its mixed reality Windows Holographic platform, and Windows Hello framework to third parites.

Microsoft VP Nick Parker showed off a new 13.3-inch Windows 10 convertible created by Porsche Design, and another OEM that it chose to keep in the dark. It comes with Windows Hello 2.0 (facial recognition), voice assistant Cortana, and the new Inking features scheduled to come with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update in July. It will be powered by an Intel processor, and will be made available in winter.

Furthermore, Microsoft even announced that it is opening up its Windows Hello Companion Device Framework to third-parties. It showed how the framework even allows wearables to unlock PCs, and did a demo with the Nymi band. Windows Hello already supports facial recognition, and fingerprint sensors. The company is also working on a new version of its Authenticator app that will allow Windows 10 Mobiles to unlock other Windows 10 devices.

Microsoft's Executive VP Terry Myerson also announced the opening up of the mixed reality Windows Holographic platform to VR headset makers. It released a video detailing Windows Holographic's capabilities. The OS can now be used by VR headset makers, and work alongside Hololens to merge AR and VR. The video demonstrates this on an HTC Vive VR headset, and showed how mixed reality would really feel like. Microsoft announced that it is working with Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, HTC, Acer, ASUS, Dell, Falcon Northwest, HP, Lenovo, MSI, and others to make Windows Holographic a platform for VR as well as AR.

Apart from the Porsche Design 2-in-1, Microsoft also showcased many new Windows 10-based 2-in-1s, PCs and notebooks by OEMs like Dell, Acer, Asus, and even HP at Computex this year.