Microsoft Launches Google Wave Clone

Microsoft Revives the Spirit of Google Wave with Microsoft Loop

Microsoft is introducing a new platform reminiscent of Google Wave, the real-time messaging and collaboration tool Google initially released in 2009 before discontinuing it in 2010.

The Origins of the Concept

Hints of this development emerged in 2019 with the announcement of the Fluid Framework. This initiative aimed to fundamentally change how business documents are created and how developers build applications with real-time capabilities.

Last year, Microsoft made Fluid open-source and began integrating it into several Office applications. Today, at the Ignite conference, the company unveiled a new product leveraging Fluid: Microsoft Loop.

Introducing Microsoft Loop

Loop represents both a new application and a novel concept. It utilizes the Fluid framework, providing developers with adaptable components for constructing applications centered around real-time editing.

This allows users to collaborate on documents in a new way. The core promise mirrors that of Google Wave: real-time collaboration coupled with a developer framework and protocol for widespread integration.

Image Credits: Microsoft

Loop and Existing Microsoft Tools

A natural question arises: how does Loop relate to Microsoft Teams? While integration with Teams is planned, Microsoft will also offer a standalone Loop application.

Microsoft describes Loop as combining a versatile canvas with portable components that synchronize seamlessly across applications, fostering teamwork in thinking, planning, and creation.

Image Credits: Microsoft

Key Components of Loop

Loop is built around three core elements:

• Loop components: These are considered “atomic units of productivity,” encompassing elements like lists, tables, notes, and tasks.
• Loop pages: These provide flexible canvases for organizing components and integrating other resources such as files, links, and data to facilitate team collaboration.
• Loop workspaces: These shared spaces allow teams to stay informed about ongoing work and monitor progress towards common objectives.

A feature distinguishing Loop from its predecessor, Google Wave, is real-time cursor tracking. This provides a visual indication of presence and activity during collaboration.

Future Enhancements

Upcoming additions to Loop and the Fluent component library include a voting table – a feature present from the initial launch of Google Wave – and a status tracker.

Google Wave was demonstrably ahead of its time, and Microsoft Loop appears poised to build upon that foundation.