Latest Microsoft Teams capabilities August 2023

Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know with the recent updates from Microsoft Teams in August 2023.

1. Enhancements to Meetings

Meetings are the lifeblood of remote collaboration and Microsoft Teams continues to innovate in this space. The August updates brought:

• Introduction of dynamic backgrounds for a more immersive virtual environment.
• Ability for webinar attendees to join the event on up to three devices simultaneously.

2. Teams Phone Updates

The Teams Phone experience has been revamped to make communication even more seamless. Here’s what’s new:

• Streamlined call delegation process with a refreshed interface.
• Pre-configured emergency call options for Teams Phone-certified devices.
• UI updates for reduced clutter, simplified navigation, and faster meeting joins.
• Teams Shared Device license now supports the Teams mobile app for Android.

3. Chat and Collaboration Enhancements

Chatting and collaborating on Teams has become more intuitive and efficient. The latest features include:

• Tweaked hover menu for messages for easier replies and edits.
• Compact chat view improves conversation clarity.
• Task syncing in Microsoft Loop with Microsoft Planner and ToDo.

4. Teams Rooms and Devices Experience

The in-room experience with Teams has been elevated to new heights, ensuring that virtual meetings feel as close to in-person as possible. Here are the updates:

• AI technology for video gallery segmentation with unified backgrounds.
• Support for spatial audio and intelligent camera features.
• Enrollment of face and voice for recognition during hybrid conference meetings.

5. Platform Improvements

On the backend, Microsoft has been hard at work refining the Teams platform to offer more flexibility and control to administrators and developers. Below are some of the updates.

• Graph API access to Teams meeting transcript. Get more info from this article.
• Option to pre-pin meeting apps in the Teams Admin Center.
• Real-time meeting quality monitoring for Teams Premium license users.

6. Additional Features

Beyond the core functionalities, Teams has rolled out some additional features to enhance the overall user experience. These include:

• Custom background options for Teams Premium users.
• Language selection for translated captions on Teams mobile.
• New layouts for Channels on Android.

Conclusion

The continuous evolution of Microsoft Teams underscores the importance of staying updated and leveraging the platform’s full potential. However, navigating these updates and ensuring seamless integration can be challenging.

Here’s where Agile IT can help:

• Migration Services: Transitioning to the latest Teams features or even migrating to a newer version requires expertise. Ensuring your organization experiences a smooth migration, minimizing disruptions, and maximizing benefits.
• Infrastructure: The advanced features of Teams, especially those related to meetings and collaboration, might necessitate infrastructure adjustments. Optimize your IT service, ensuring it’s robust and fully supportive of the latest Teams capabilities.
• Security & Compliance: With Teams expanding its functionalities, securing communications and data becomes paramount. Ensuring that your Teams interactions remain confidential and protected.