The Teams app has been updated by Microsoft. In an effort to improve it, the company created it from scratch, a process that took years.
The new version of Teams, according to Microsoft Teams' senior vice president of engineering, is "two times faster with 50% fewer resources." Launching or joining meetings should be two times faster because to 50% less RAM and 70% less storage.
Microsoft has switched away from the Electron-based Teams backbone to Microsoft's Edge WebView2 technology, and has instead used the React JavaScript library. The company also changed the color of the canvas from gray to white and uses less Teams purple.
The new Microsoft Teams version includes several additional features. For example, the ability to switch between different Microsoft Teams accounts in an organization has been improved. The board allows you to insert Loop components to make the canvas more collaborative. Also, there will be AI-powered video filters in presentations.
The new Teams client is intended to be the foundation for Microsoft's future work with the Copilot smart assistant and other AI-powered features for Teams. Users will be able to invite the Copilot AI assistant to group chats to perform a range of tasks, such as scheduling meetings or debriefing. The Copilot business chat feature will also exist in Teams as a personal assistant to receive data and information from Microsoft 365 services and apps.
The new Microsoft Teams client is now available as a test version. The company intends to collect feedback and modify the app before the final version is released later this year.
Microsoft Teams' public preview includes a new capability for using 3D avatars in online meetings instead of being on camera. Avatar animations are voice-only, so they should work well in meetings as well as when using the Teams emoji and the Raise Hand feature.
