New Features for Microsoft Teams
Microsoft has announced a number of new capabilities for instant messaging, meetings, and telephony for its cloud-based collaboration solution Microsoft Teams. Teams will thus have the full functionality of cloud-based Skype for Business.
In a blog post, Microsoft lists the numerous improvements and enhancements, augmenting Microsoft Teams. Thus, it is possible in the future to accomplish meetings with up to 250 participants organization-spreading. Inline translation features allow team members to participate in their native language. In addition, there is an update to the Skype room system, a team app for the Surface Hub, enhancements for the Team Conferencing Gateway, that will make Skype for Business certified phones work with Microsoft Teams, and extended USB HID support. Additionally, Cloud Video Interop Services are being planned to support team meetings with existing VTC systems, with Pexip, Polycom and Blue Jeans offerings generally available this calendar year. Direct Routing also makes it possible to integrate your own telephone service into Microsoft Teams.
With these innovations, Microsoft is taking a significant step toward replacing Skype for Business from Office 365. As already announced last year, Microsoft Teams will become the primary client for intelligent communication in Office 365. However, the company has not yet announced a specific date on which Skype for Business will no longer be available in Office 365.
For companies running Skype for Business in their own data center, Microsoft has announced an update. Skype for Business Server 2019 will continue to be offered as a hybrid cloud solution and for use on its own server hardware.
Microsoft Team is a member of the collaboration tools in Office 365. A Microsoft team combines the functionality of SharePoint, Planner, and OneNote under a uniform interface, and is always an Office 365 group with a separate email address and a group calendar. An important component of Teams is a continuously chat-based communication method, which allows a topic-oriented split, up to a 1:1 conversation via channels. Teams supports audio and video conferencing and offers a range of connectors to third-party services. Microsoft Teams is now not only limited to its own organization, but also supports access for guests with a Microsoft account or an Azure AD account.