Although Microsoft Teams has been available for nearly seven years, not everyone has found the platform to be what it was touted to be. In fact, with the latest update, experts are stating that users “might actually like this version,” intimating that it was not a favorite of peer collaborators up until this time. The new Teams, however, offer new features and improvements that make workplace chats and meetings much easier. The newest rollout of Microsoft Teams showcases a new-look app for Windows and Mac that promises a smarter, more productive way to get work done.
Microsoft says the upgraded version of its video conferencing and chat platform represents a new era of Microsoft Teams, claiming that the app runs twice as fast and uses up to 50% less memory and disk space than the classic version. The new app features a more agile, simpler design and also gives better support to third-party apps and PSTN calling – not to mention faster launching of meetings.
The New Teams Reimagined
“Our goal was to reimagine Teams from the ground up to deliver a faster, simpler, smarter, and more flexible app to help you stay productive and collaborate more effectively,” Microsoft wrote in a blog post announcing the newest upgrades and features. “We have focused on providing high-quality performance and enhancing the basics in areas such as reliability, security, and IT management to make sure that new Teams meets the evolving requirements of your organization.”
Microsoft says the upgrade was effected by moving from the Electron foundations of “classic Teams” in favor of its own Edge WebView2 technology and the React JavaScript library, both of which represent notable speed and performance enhancements. With Edge WebView 2, Teams shares its resources with the browser, minimizing memory utility and disk space by up to 50%. Preliminary test results show the new version of Teams takes up 70% less disk space and is twice as fast when:
- loading the app
- joining meetings
- switching chats and channels
The Mac version of Teams has also been provided a needed performance enhancement, running natively on Mac for a better app experience, as well as improved app security due to the containerized app model, simplified app updates via Microsoft AutoUpdate, and more efficient utilization of device resources. The ability to use several high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings has also been optimized for users.
Teams as a whole have several additional improvements, including:
- a Fluent design language system providing several UI improvements that Microsoft says offers “a simplified and streamlined user experience that makes it easier for you to personalize experiences, stay on top of your notifications, and get more done in fewer clicks.”
- Automatically choose light or dark mode and switch based on your system settings.
- Improved support for users with color sensitivity, allowing them to choose a color palette that works best for them
- Keyboard shortcuts allow users to navigate between list items
- A “mark all as read” feature in activity, chats, or channels (coming soon)
As with most recent Microsoft announcements, Copilot is mentioned, with Microsoft touting the AI assistant’s ability to “work alongside you to help you stay on top of your tasks.”
Copilot will have the capability to analyze chats and calls to offer a synopsis of key points, action items, and decisions, which can then be shared and collaborated on in Teams. The new Microsoft Teams is rolling out to the public over the next few months, with Windows and Mac users both able to install or upgrade automatically from “classic Teams” at that time.
Alliance IT provides managed and cloud services as well as Microsoft product support to areas across the Sarasota area.
