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The pandemic has been a transformative time for business. Without access to tools like Microsoft Teams, almost all businesses would have ground to a halt – or at the very least struggled to operate still.
Microsoft Teams isn’t the only one competing for the space. Zoom has also seen a huge increase in users.
Do you use Microsoft Teams or Zoom, or both?
As Microsoft and Zoom race one another to provide the best service, it’s either offer new and better features, or get left behind in the dirt.
Over the last month, Microsoft Team have added new and improved features to their application, stating they are working so businesses and schools “have a high-performance experience that scales across their devices and levels of internet connectivity”.
Improved performance
Work offline
If you use teams, you’ll know what happens when your Wi-fi connection drops. You get cut off from whatever you are doing on Teams, which is beyond infuriating, especially when you’re in the middle of something.
Microsoft has been working to support Teams so you can work offline. Now, Teams has introduced the new feature enabling you to write messages when offline that will automatically send when the connectivity has re-established.
Launch time
Whether you use Windows or macOS, you’ve probably noticed the fairly lengthy launch time for Teams.
Luckily, you won’t have to spend so much time waiting for Teams to launch anymore. Microsoft is constantly improving and optimising the software. Since the start of October
Microsoft has increased the desktop launch time by up to 30%.
Battery life
You can use Microsoft on so many different devices. It’s amazing for when you have to move around to various locations when working.
You may have the Microsoft Teams app on your phone or tablet, but have you noticed how quickly your battery is drained when using the app?
Microsoft is optimizing the battery life for iOS users. This is aimed to support Firstline Workers and those working remotely, away from their desktops.
Low bandwidth environments
When working from home, other people in your household will be using the same Wi-fi as you, making your connection a lot slower than it should be – this is called a low bandwidth environment.
Microsoft are working on optimising the Android Teams app specifically for low bandwidth environments.
Features set to beat zoom
As we have already established, Microsoft team is seeking to beat Zoom, especially in the video conferencing space.
Teams Together mode brings people together in a shared environment, which means that colleagues can virtually meet in a number of different settings – including coffee shops, conference rooms and auditoriums.
Breakout rooms
One thing that Zoom was good for during video conferencing was the breakout rooms. Now Microsoft has also launched this feature.
So, when you have a meeting with your whole business you can then breakout into different departments and groups if you need to.
iPhone and Android access
If you have used Microsoft Teams on your smartphone, you may have run into some issues. Perhaps you’ve been unable to access files easily, or you’ve found that the app keeps closing when you’re using it.
Microsoft are working to improve this to provide the best experience for users when accessing work materials via their phone.
See more participants in call
Zoom has had the ability to see up to 49 people when in a video conference, which has been nice for businesses to still have that sense of normality being able to see their colleagues during lockdown, when working from home.
Teams was very limited to seeing 4 people within a meeting during March, right at the start of lockdown. This may have swayed people to use zoom if they wanted a more visual experience. But now Teams has upped its game and matches Zoom enabling you to see up to 49 people during your call.
Integration
Microsoft has integrated a lot of its features into the rest of its services, unlike Zoom, which lacks integration at all.
I don’t know about you, but a lot of people have concern over the security of Zoom, even though they are trying their best to improve. Check out this article that explains everything gone wrong with zoom – https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/news/zoom-security-privacy-woes
The new Advanced Communications offering by Microsoft on Teams really takes advantage of the IT giant’s other services.
Many more Microsoft 365 integrations have also been said to be coming soon, which is very exciting.
Microsoft Teams has made a big turnaround over the last few months, listening carefully to users’ experiences and complaints. They have taken into consideration the performance issues people have had when using the video conferencing service.
Microsoft Teams is already an incredible software with a myriad of features. If they can combine the performance with the features and integrated service, Teams set to not only match Zoom, but outright take its place as the go-to video conference software on the market.
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