It’s the second anniversary of the worldwide launch of Microsoft Teams. The teamwork hub was originally released on a wide scale back in 2017, giving Office 365 users a way to collaborate through chats, meetings, and files. Along with the recognition of this milestone, Microsoft also went over a few new and upcoming updates to improve usability across the platform.
There are a ton of new features and changes in the works, as well as some recent updates that have already been made available. Here are a few of the most significant ones to be aware of.
Secure private channels
This feature lets you control which team members are able to see specific conversations and content within a channel. So basically, you can limit visibility without having to create entirely new teams. This feature will be available later in the year.
Calendar app
The new Calendar app will replace the current Meetings app within Microsoft Teams starting in April. It basically keeps all the same functions you’re used to, along with a few new features like different calendar views, new scheduling features, and editing capabilities.
Microsoft Whiteboard
This feature is currently available in commercial preview within Microsoft Teams meetings. It allows attendees to collaborate together on a board, and even use advanced features like images, grid lines, and sticky notes. This is perfect for informal brainstorming sessions.
Live events
This lets users create on-demand events for large teams or even customers or partners within Microsoft 365. You can make use of interactive features or create a more formal streaming presentation, depending on your needs. This feature is currently available to users.
Direct Routing
This feature lets you use Session Border Controllers to connect voice trunks directly to Office 365. It’s already available to users, and Microsoft is continuing to update it with new features that improve AV quality and ease of use.
