In Power BI, our mission is to help our customers drive a data culture and make better decisions based on data. The Power BI Mobile & Devices team takes this mission beyond the standard data consumption experiences, and with the Power BI app for mixed reality, we enable workers to use data and make data driven decisions in an immersive hands-free environment.

Today we’re releasing the next gen of the Power BI app for mixed reality. This app runs on HoloLens 2 and takes advantage of the amazing capabilities of this device, such as:

• A unique visual display system which makes holograms even more vibrant and realistic.
• Improved performance.
• Completely refreshed ways of interacting with holograms.

With a HoloLens 2 device, frontline workers using the Power BI app can make insightful decisions, hands-free, using data available to them at the exact time and place they need it.

What’s new in the Power BI app for HoloLens 2?

First, we’ve removed the 2D windows experience and made the entire experience immersive. The app starts by loading all your favorited Power BI reports and dashboards into your virtual toolbelt. From the toolbelt you can then choose any item you want to start exploring your data. Using HoloLens 2’s updated hand gestures system, you can resize your reports and dashboards and place them around you in space. You can even view multiple items side-by-side!

Another enhancement the Power BI app for HoloLens 2 brings you is the ability to view and navigate between report pages. You’re no longer bound to just the first page of the report. Now, every report loaded from the toolbelt to your front view has a page index that enables you to select any page of the report you like.

Thanks to HoloLens 2’s anchoring system, the location of items you placed in the environment persist, and when you revisit the same place later, you’ll find those items in the same place.

Reports and dashboards now update while you’re using the app, so if data changes in Power BI, you’ll see those changes reflected in the reports and dashboards you’re viewing.

The Power BI for mixed reality app for HoloLens 2 is now available in the Microsoft Store. It aims to provide our users with real-time business information in the context of their work through a unique, delightful, immersive experience.

To learn more about the app, read our documentation, or better yet, download the app from the store to your HoloLens 2 and try it out for yourself!

Note: The app described here is available for HoloLens 2 devices only. The Power BI app for HoloLens 1 is still available in the store.