On October 5, 2023, Microsoft announced the general availability of the new Microsoft Teams app for Windows and Mac users, including education customers. Additionally, the company is introducing a public preview of the new Teams for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and government cloud customers (GCC, GCC-H, DoD).
New Microsoft Teams App
This new version of Microsoft Teams represents a significant overhaul, aiming to deliver a faster, simpler, smarter, and more flexible application for improved productivity and collaboration. During the public preview phase, the new Teams demonstrated substantial performance enhancements, being up to two times faster and utilizing 50% less memory compared to the classic Teams.
Key benefits of the new Microsoft Teams app for organizations
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Improved performance | The new Teams is faster and more responsive, with reduced memory and disk space consumption. |
| Enhanced collaboration | The new Teams offers a simplified and streamlined user experience, with enhanced support for multi-tenant and cross-tenant collaboration. |
| Increased security | The new Teams includes enhanced security measures for Mac users, as well as support for new security features such as end-to-end encryption. |
| Reduced costs | The new Teams is designed to be more efficient and cost-effective, with reduced memory and disk space consumption. |
| Additional benefits | Other benefits of the new Teams app include feature parity with the classic Teams app, seamless upgrade, AI integration, and enhanced accessibility features. |
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Key Highlights of the New Microsoft Teams App
- Feature Parity: The new Teams now boasts feature parity with almost all functionalities, including custom line-of-business apps, third-party apps, breakout rooms, 7×7 video, call queues, PSTN calling, contextual search in chats and channels, cross-posting channel conversations, and more.
- Multi-Tenant Support: The new Teams offers support for Multi-tenant organizations (MTO) and multi-tenant, multi-account (MTMA), enabling seamless cross-tenant communication and collaboration across multiple tenants and accounts.
- Seamless Upgrade: The upgrade to the new Teams is described as quick and seamless, with no migration required. Classic Teams users will be automatically upgraded to the new Teams in the coming months. Users can initiate the transition by toggling a switch in the classic Teams app.
- Performance Improvements:
- On Windows, the new Teams leverages the React framework, utilizing Edge WebView2 as the host, resulting in faster app loading, meeting joining, and chat and channel switching. It also consumes significantly less memory and disk space compared to the classic Teams.
- On Mac, users can expect faster performance, especially when switching between chats and channels, even with multiple high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings. Enhanced security measures are also introduced for Mac users.
- Simpler User Experience: The new Teams offers a simplified and streamlined user experience, with enhanced personalization options, including automatic light or dark mode selection based on system settings and improved support for users with color sensitivity. Accessibility improvements, such as keyboard shortcuts and screen reader enhancements, aim to make Teams more inclusive.
- Cross-Tenant Collaboration: Multi-tenant organizations (MTO) and multi-account (MTMA) support facilitate seamless collaboration across organizational boundaries, ensuring users can connect and collaborate with colleagues in different accounts and organizations without disruptions.
- AI Integration: The new Teams is designed to be the foundation for next-generation AI experiences, including Microsoft Copilot. Copilot in Teams assists users by summarizing conversations, enhancing meeting productivity, and aggregating information from various sources within the app.
Benefits of the New Microsoft Teams App for Organizations
The new Microsoft Teams app offers a number of benefits for organizations of all sizes, including:
- Improved Productivity: The new Teams is faster and more responsive, with reduced memory and disk space consumption. This can lead to significant productivity gains for users.
- Enhanced Collaboration: The new Teams offers a simplified and streamlined user experience, with enhanced support for multi-tenant and cross-tenant collaboration. This can make it easier for users to connect and collaborate with colleagues, regardless of their location or organizational affiliation.
- Increased Security: The new Teams includes enhanced security measures for Mac users, as well as support for new security features such as end-to-end encryption. This can help organizations protect their sensitive data and communications.
- Reduced Costs:Â The new Teams is designed to be more efficient and cost-effective, with reduced memory and disk space consumption. This can help organizations save money on IT infrastructure and support costs.
How to Upgrade to the New Microsoft Teams App
Upgrading to the new Microsoft Teams app is quick and seamless, with no migration required. Classic Teams users will be automatically upgraded to the new Teams in the coming months. Users can initiate the transition by toggling a switch in the classic Teams app.
Conclusion
The new Microsoft Teams app is a significant improvement over the classic Teams app, offering faster performance, a simpler user experience, enhanced security, and increased collaboration capabilities. Organizations of all sizes are encouraged to upgrade to the new Teams to take advantage of these enhancements.
FAQ’s New Microsoft Teams App
What is the new Microsoft Teams app for Windows and Mac?
The new Microsoft Teams app for Windows and Mac is an updated and enhanced version of the Teams application designed to provide improved performance, features, and collaboration capabilities for users.
What are the key improvements in the new Teams app compared to the classic version?
The new Teams app offers significantly faster performance, reduced memory and disk usage, feature parity with the classic Teams, enhanced security measures, multi-tenant support, and improved accessibility features.
How do I upgrade to the new Teams app?
Upgrading to the new Teams app is seamless, and no migration is required. Classic Teams users will be automatically upgraded to the new Teams in the coming months. You can also initiate the transition by toggling a switch in the classic Teams app.
Can I use the new Teams app on both Windows and Mac?
Yes, the new Teams app is available for both Windows and Mac users, providing a consistent experience across these platforms.
