Azure Hosted Models
The latest Azure Hosted Models coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
From Tackles to Tickets: NSWRL Modernizes Fan Engagement with Teams Contact Centre
The New South Wales Rugby League has moved its contact centre operations from a legacy PABX to AnywhereNow's Tendfor, a Microsoft Teams-native platform. The migration eliminates costly hardware, unifies agent tools within Teams, and positions the league to scale fan support with AI-driven features. The switch reflects a broader trend among sporting organisations embracing cloud-native unified communications.
Teams Down on June 16, 2026? Hidden Azure AD Glitch Exposes Microsoft 365 Dependency Chains
On June 16, 2026, Microsoft Teams suffered a widespread outage affecting sign-ins, chat, and meetings, traced to a regression in Azure AD authentication causing token refresh failures. While Microsoft’s public status dashboard initially showed all green, third-party trackers and community forensics revealed the deep dependency chain that makes Teams reliability contingent on multiple upstream services. The incident highlights the need for organizations to adopt synthetic monitoring and diverse communication channels.
TWM Solicitors Adopts 240 10ZiG Windows IoT LTSC Thin Clients in Azure Virtual Desktop Shift
TWM Solicitors has deployed 240 10ZiG Windows IoT LTSC thin clients across three Surrey offices, migrating from on‑premises Remote Desktop Services to Azure Virtual Desktop. The move improves security, simplifies endpoint management, and supports hybrid work while cutting hardware costs. The project highlights how mid‑sized law firms can leverage cloud VDI to meet strict compliance and performance requirements.
TWM Solicitors Dumps RDS for AVD with 'Invisible' Windows IoT Thin Clients
TWM Solicitors has deployed 240 Windows IoT LTSC-based 10ZiG thin clients across three offices, migrating from Microsoft Remote Desktop Services to Azure Virtual Desktop. The 'invisible' endpoints—silent, secure, and centrally managed—deliver a seamless Windows 11 experience while reducing IT overhead and bolstering compliance for the law firm.
Edge Canary Tests OneJS-Powered New Tab Page Tied to Microsoft 365 Cloud Search
Microsoft Edge Canary is testing a OneJS-based New Tab Page that transforms into a Microsoft 365 work portal, integrating cloud search, recent files, and productivity tools directly into the browser's landing page. The experimental flag represents a major shift towards making Edge the central hub for enterprise workflows.
How a Financial Giant Upgraded 2,000+ EC2 Instances from Windows Server 2016 to 2025 Without a Rebuild
A financial services company used AWS Systems Manager Automation to perform in-place upgrades of over 2,000 EC2 instances from Windows Server 2016 to 2025, preserving instance identity and application configurations. The automated process included pre-checks, snapshots, silent setup, and rollback capabilities, demonstrating that large-scale in-place Windows upgrades on AWS are feasible and efficient.
Google Earth's New Browser Flight Simulator Lets Windows Users Fly the Globe Without Installing a Thing
Google has launched a free, experimental flight simulator inside Google Earth on the web, allowing Windows users to fly over the globe in a browser tab without any installation. The feature uses the platform’s 3D imagery and simple keyboard/mouse controls, offering a frictionless alternative to heavy simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator. While limited in physics and realism, it represents a major step toward browser-based 3D experiences and instant global exploration.
Microsoft Teams Outage: 227 US Users Report Issues on June 15, 2026
On June 15, 2026, Downdetector logged 227 reports of Microsoft Teams problems in the US by 9:27 a.m. ET, indicating a potential service outage. This article details the incident, how to verify official Microsoft 365 health status, and practical steps for affected users. Stay tuned for updates as the situation develops.
Payhawk Summer '26 Upgrade Connects Enterprise Spend Directly to SAP Public Cloud
Payhawk's Summer '26 Edition introduces a native integration with SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud, enabling real-time, bidirectional data flow between spend management and the ERP. The release also delivers over 30 updates across accounts payable, payments, procurement, travel, and administration, strengthening Payhawk's enterprise appeal. Accessible via web browsers on Windows, the updates streamline finance workflows for organizations standardized on Microsoft infrastructure.
Itochu Techno-Solutions Debuts Managed Cloud Control Services for Azure, AWS and Hybrid Deployments in Japan
Itochu Techno-Solutions has launched a Managed Cloud Services portfolio that acts as an enterprise governance layer for Japanese organizations using AWS, Azure, and hybrid setups. The service unifies monitoring, cost management, and security policies across multiple clouds, addressing Japan's unique compliance needs and skill shortages. Early adopters report significant cost savings and faster compliant deployments, positioning CTC as a key player in the country's multi-cloud evolution.
EMPURON's CARTAN energy platform debuts on Windows Server for private cloud and edge control
EMPURON energy GmbH has announced that its CARTAN energy management platform now supports private cloud and edge deployments on Windows Server, giving utilities and industrial users full control over their energy data. The move addresses growing demands for data sovereignty, real‑time grid control, and secure operational technology environments. By leveraging Windows Server’s ecosystem and security features, CARTAN enables flexible, on‑premises and edge‑centric architectures that can scale from compact gateways to full data center deployments.
Microsoft Azure Layoffs in China Force Enterprise IT to Rethink Cloud Sovereignty
Microsoft is cutting between 200 and 400 jobs from its Azure cloud unit in mainland China, signaling a retreat from the market amid escalating U.S. technology export controls. The layoffs force enterprise IT teams to confront data sovereignty challenges and re-evaluate cloud dependencies, with direct implications for Windows-centric organizations.
Xbox to cut thousands after June 30, 2026, in Sharma’s Game Pass profitability push
Microsoft's Xbox division is preparing a major round of layoffs to be finalized after June 30, 2026, under the direction of new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma. The cuts are part of a strategic shift toward profitability, with a focus on Game Pass and high-margin services, potentially affecting thousands of employees and reshaping Xbox's hardware and software roadmap.