Welcome to our round-up of the biggest news in the UC space over the past week.
It’s been a busy start for what is set to be another blockbuster year in the industry, with new features and acquisitions already being announced.
Microsoft Launches Walkie Talkie For Teams
Microsoft announced that its Walkie Talkie feature for Teams is now generally available, having first been announced in 2020.
The feature is available on all Android and iOS devices via the Teams app, while Microsoft has also announced integrations with specialised devices from Samsung and Zebra which will have dedicated buttons to use the tool.
Microsoft said the feature is designed to allow frontline workers to ditch traditional walkie talkies.
The vendor added:
“As the frontline faces continuous constraints from labour shortages and supply chain disruptions, they want technology that saves them time, helps them communicate more seamlessly, and maximises their efficiency when completing repetitive tasks”
Microsoft also revealed that it has partnered with hardware vendors to produce devices with a dedicated button for the service.
UC Summit is Next Week!
UC Today’s flagship event, UC Summit, is back next week – with the line-up better than ever.
In the first teaser article for the event, well-known analyst Zeus Kerravala revealed that he expects businesses to endure a period of trial and error before finding a hybrid working culture that works for them.
“One of my predictions is that the initial wave of hybrid work is going to be a disaster,” he said.
“I think that’s because nobody has any idea how to do this; they’re throwing things at the wall, trying to figure out what sticks”
“But I think, by the end of 2022, the leading companies will have figured it out. They will have gone through a phase where they tried something that failed and then figured out what does work for everybody.”
8×8 Completes Fuze Acquisition
8×8 revealed that it has completed its acquisition of Fuze, which was first announced last month.
The vendor said that the acquisition will bolster its enterprise presence globally.
Dave Sipes, Chief Executive Officer at 8×8, said: “We are excited to welcome Fuze employees, customers and partners to 8×8. We are committed to supporting the Fuze platform while offering the best of both platforms to all of our customers.
“With this acquisition, we can further extend our XCaaS offering to deliver a differentiated experience for enterprise organisations, which is instrumental as we drive to become a $1bn-revenue SaaS business”
Zoom and Slack Competitor Launches
A new collaboration vendor has launched, boldly stating its intention to rival established players Slack and Zoom.
The all-in-one collaboration offering allows users to host chats, video meetings and share files with anyone.
“Our goal was to take the core features, what people actually need every day to successfully work in a virtual environment, and make it simpler,” said Markee CEO Craig Doig.
“Sometimes less is more, and that’s the case with Markee. With our platform, you can eliminate two to three SaaS products from your tech stack and focus on what’s important”
