Microsoft is updating its popular Teams platform to make it faster and easier to use—upgrades that its millions of users will be grateful for. The application has been completely rebuilt from the ground up, and Microsoft has released a preview for businesses to test the waters of this overdue overhaul. The new Teams is twice as fast while using half the resources, according to Sumi Singh, Corporate Vice President of Engineering for Microsoft Teams. The updated app is also reportedly three times faster to install and twice as quick to launch or join meetings, among other significant improvements that are sure to be embraced by users who find the current iteration sluggish.
In addition to the performance upgrades and some visual changes, Microsoft has included some useful improvements, such as functionalities that make it simpler to switch between accounts within organizations. It can also lower a raised hand after a teammate has finished speaking. The new Teams is also said to be the bedrock for future work with the Copilot assistant and other upcoming AI-driven features. However, drawbacks remain the update is currently only available for Windows users, for instance, but a Mac-friendly upgrade is in the works. The preview is only available for commercial users, but the company hopes to bring it to Education, Government Clouds, and platforms like VDI and the web later in 2023.
