As rumored a few weeks ago, Microsoft has just announced a new version of Microsoft Teams for Windows desktop users. It's now available in a public preview, and promises to not only include a ton of new features, but some major performance improvements.
In a blog post, Microsoft stated it used an independent testing team, GigaOm, to test the performance of the new Teams Windows app compared to the older version. The stats include:
- Launch app up to 2X faster
- Join meetings up to 2X faster
- Switch chats/channels up to 1.7X faster
- Consume up to 50% less memory
- Consume up to 70% less disk space
In addition to the coding improvements that have resulting in faster performance, Microsoft says that the revamped Teams app for Windows has a ton of other new improvements and features. Some of those improvements have tried to make using Teams simpler:
- Streamlined Actions: Less clutter simplifies notifications, search, messages, and channels
- Personalized experiences: Threaded conversations, customizable group chats, and interactive emojis give users more expressive collaboration
- Simplified meetings: Updates to the pre-join experience, gallery view, and screen sharing remove barriers to effective meetings
The new Teams will also allow users to stay signed into the app, even if they use it with different accounts and organizations. Users will be able to get notifications on all of their Teams accounts in the apps.
The Channels section in Teams is also getting a refresh, with these features and more:
- The compose box and recent posts will appear at the top of the page. So now, it’s much easier to start a new post, keep up with the latest conversations and participate - giving you the confidence that they’ve not missed anything.
- Every post is now a true conversation you can focus on. You can navigate to a conversation view that makes the discussion more engaging and synchronous, just like a chat. You can also pop out the post, keep an eye on the discussion, while continuing to work on other topics.
Some of the many new features in the new Teams include Speaker Coach, which will give users private feedback on their presentation skills, either in real time or after a meeting. Users can also set up their emergency location in Teams via the Calls app.
There's lots of other features we haven't mentioned here so check out Microsoft's blog post for all the info. The public preview will expand to Mac users later this year, and general availability of the new Teams will also launch later in 2023. More info on new features coming to Teams Rooms and Devices will be revealed on Tuesday.
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