Cisco Advances the Hybrid Work Experience with Audio and Interoperability Innovations

Rhea-AI Summary

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced significant advancements in hybrid work solutions at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2023, including a partnership with Microsoft to run Microsoft Teams natively on Cisco devices. The Cisco Table Microphone Pro, featuring spatial audio and robust noise cancellation, enhances audio quality for remote meetings. Enhanced interoperability with third-party audio systems allows seamless integration with existing devices. Cisco's solutions aim to improve hybrid work experiences, offering flexibility and security for IT management. Certification for Microsoft Teams support is expected in March 2023.

Positive

• Partnership with Microsoft to run Teams natively on Cisco devices enhances hybrid work capabilities.
• Launch of Cisco Table Microphone Pro improves audio quality with advanced noise cancellation.
• Enhanced interoperability with third-party audio systems expands customer choice and flexibility.
• Devices certified for Microsoft Teams expected in March 2023, potentially increasing market competitiveness.

Negative

• None.

• New innovations help organizations achieve a seamless hybrid work experience, including an industry-first partnership with Microsoft that runs Microsoft Teams natively on Cisco collaboration devices expected for certification in March 2023
• The new Cisco Table Microphone Pro introduces spatial audio and sophisticated noise cancellation to enable remarkably distraction-free, elevated sound in hybrid meetings
• New interoperability with third-party audio systems ensures frictionless collaboration across customers' preferred audio devices

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2023, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) showcased its new range of collaboration devices for Microsoft Teams and unveiled the new Cisco Table Microphone Pro, a digital and multi-directional table microphone for hybrid workspaces, along with audio interoperability advancements. The innovations meet the needs of hybrid workers, delivering more inclusivity and choice for meetings, while improving the manageability, configuration, and security required by IT.

"The future of work is now and it's hybrid, which requires a truly exceptional and inclusive experience that's not confined by location, device, or meeting platform," said Jeetu Patel, EVP and GM, Security & Collaboration, Cisco. "Cisco is bringing true audio intelligence to its best-in-class devices and software with interoperability, flexibility, and security."

Optimized workspaces with Cisco devices certified for Microsoft Teams
Customers deserve more choice in how they do hybrid work, which is why Cisco and Microsoft partnered to bring more choice, flexibility, and capabilities to customers. The industry-first solution is available in beta now for enterprise customers and partners, and expected to be certified and available for Cisco Board Pro, Room Bar, and Room Kit Pro in March 2023. It will deliver immersive, intelligent, and inclusive meetings experiences to Microsoft Teams customers, leveraging Cisco's experience in designing award-winning, reliable, and secure video collaboration systems.

Cisco is the first vendor to offer devices with Microsoft Teams Rooms as the default experience with support to join Webex meetings with all the features and functionality customers enjoy today – without rebooting or reconfiguration by IT. Powered by the RoomOS and Microsoft Teams Rooms platform, mutual Cisco and Microsoft customers will benefit from the option to run fully-featured Microsoft Teams and Webex meetings natively on their Cisco devices, while leveraging advanced device management and analytics in Control Hub.

Cisco offers a comprehensive lineup of purpose-built video devices for all workspaces and collaboration scenarios. Additionally, the company offers a rich set of camera and audio intelligence capabilities available in the market today. Cisco collaboration devices to be certified for Microsoft Teams will include the Cisco Board Pro 55 and 75, Cisco Room Bar, Cisco Room Kit Pro, Cisco Room Kit EQ, Cisco Room Navigator, and Cisco Desk Pro, alongside remote work peripherals such as the Cisco Desk Camera 4K, the Cisco Headset 320 and the Headset 720.

New Cisco Table Microphone Pro
An optimal meeting experience means all participants must be heard equally regardless of distance from a meeting device or background noise. Unlike standard microphones, the new Cisco Table Microphone Pro is multi-directional and achieves precisely this. Harnessing advanced audio intelligence capabilities, the microphone only picks up in-room participants' voices with high precision using four built-in microphone elements and offers advanced noise cancellation for a variety of workspaces – from huddle rooms to large conference rooms and custom AV deployments. Benefits of the Cisco Table Microphone Pro include:

• Supreme audio quality for users: Sophisticated AI technology and multi-directional architecture help intelligently capture voices in meeting rooms and enables a spatial, true-to-life audio experience for remote meeting attendees. The microphone features a noise-cancelling hardware architecture and advanced audio processing while working seamlessly together with Cisco's industry-leading noise removal to enable remarkably distraction-free, elevated sound in hybrid meetings.
• Easy deployment and unified monitoring for IT: Powered by Ethernet connectivity, the Cisco Table Microphone Pro is simple to set up and scale, with a plug-and-play experience into Cisco video devices, such as the new Cisco Room Kit EQ or the Room Kit Pro. The microphone can be configured, customized, and monitored in Control Hub for effortless, centralized cloud management alongside other Cisco collaboration devices.
• Enhanced security: End-to-end encryption ensures security without the risk of exposing sensitive, confidential, or regulated interactions to the network.

Enhanced Audio Interoperability
Cisco works alongside an ever-growing ecosystem of hardware solution providers to ensure its collaboration devices work seamlessly with third-party offerings and peripherals. Doing so puts choice in the hands of customers – to work on their terms. 

Cisco is extending its video and device interoperability to enable frictionless, IP-based integration with third-party audio systems. This innovation brings robust support for the AES67 standard for reliable, low-latency audio interoperability, offering customers a cost-optimized and flexible integration with Cisco collaboration bars, room kits, and integrated room systems. Audio equipment manufacturer Shure is the first partner Cisco is supporting with seamless integration into the company's microphones, including the MXA920 Ceiling Array or MXA710 Linear Array. 

"The new generation of IP-based audio interoperability between Cisco and Shure provides flexibility and seamless collaboration to future-proof video conferencing environments and provide end users with world-class audio experiences," said Brian Woodland, Vice President of Global Business Development at Shure. "Customers invested in the Shure Microflex Ecosystem can leverage easy manageability, pristine quality, and plug-and-play compatibility with industry-leading Cisco video collaboration endpoints."

This Cisco Table Microphone Pro is generally available today for customers using the Cisco Room Kit EQ, Cisco Room Kit Pro, and Cisco Room Panorama. Additionally, it will support Cisco Room and Board Devices which are expected for certification for Microsoft Teams Rooms in March 2023.

About Cisco 
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your data, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and inclusive future. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco. 

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. 

About Webex by Cisco 
Webex is a leading provider of cloud-based collaboration solutions which includes video meetings, calling, messaging, events, polling, asynchronous video and customer experience solutions like contact center and purpose-built collaboration devices. Webex's focus on delivering inclusive collaboration experiences fuels our innovation, which leverages AI and Machine Learning, to remove the barriers of geography, language, personality and familiarity with technology. Its solutions are underpinned with security and privacy by design. Webex works with the world's leading business and productivity apps – delivered through a single application and interface. Learn more at webex.com. 

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SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.

FAQ

What new products did Cisco announce for Microsoft Teams?

Cisco announced the Cisco Table Microphone Pro, offering improved audio quality, and new devices certified for Microsoft Teams, expected in March 2023.

How does Cisco's partnership with Microsoft affect hybrid work?

The partnership allows Cisco devices to run Microsoft Teams natively, improving flexibility and capabilities for hybrid work.

What features does the Cisco Table Microphone Pro provide?

The Cisco Table Microphone Pro features spatial audio, noise cancellation, and is designed to capture voices equally from any distance.

When will Cisco's Microsoft Teams certified devices be available?

Devices certified for Microsoft Teams are expected to be available in March 2023.

What is the significance of audio interoperability in Cisco's offerings?

Audio interoperability allows Cisco devices to integrate seamlessly with third-party audio systems, enhancing collaboration options for users.