Overview
- Microsoft revealed Project Solara at Build 2026 this week, showing two reference concept devices: a badge-sized wearable with a touchscreen, camera and fingerprint sensor plus a small desk display for voice and Microsoft 365 interactions.
- The company framed Solara as a chip-to-cloud, agent-first platform built on the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (AOSP) with enterprise controls such as Intune, Entra ID and Windows Hello for Business to manage identity and security.
- In a live demo Microsoft technical fellow Steven Bathiche unlocked the badge with a fingerprint, used the camera to capture audience photos, and routed images to reviewers as an example of agents acting on visual context.
- Microsoft said the badge and desk display are reference designs for partners rather than products it will sell, with Qualcomm and MediaTek named as silicon partners and AccuWeather, Best Buy, CVS Health and Target reported as expected pilot participants; no shipping dates or prices were announced.
- Privacy, workplace compliance, and trust remain open questions because outward-facing cameras, microphones, biometric unlocks and cloud-dependent processing raise concerns about consent, recording policies and data retention that will shape whether enterprises adopt these devices.