Microsoft has launched the new Microsoft Teams Windows application in public preview.
In a blog post, Jeff Teper, President of Collaborative Apps and Platforms at Microsoft, said the new app has been designed with speed and simplicity at its core.
“We have been listening to your feedback which has culminated in a reimagining of Teams from the ground up,” he said.
“The new app is built on a foundation of speed, performance, flexibility, and intelligence—delivering up to two times faster performance while using 50 percent less memory so you can save time and collaborate more efficiently.
“We have also streamlined the user experience so that it is simpler to use and easier to find everything in one place. These enhancements also provide the foundation for game-changing new AI-powered experiences, such as Copilot for Microsoft Teams, announced earlier this month.”
Teper said that the new Teams app will be twice as first as the current one and will use half the system resources. He said Microsoft has overhauled the platform to achieve this and worked with benchmarking firm GigaOm to qualify the improvements.
Other findings relating to the testing include:
- Install app up to 3X faster
- Launch app up to 2X faster
- Join meetings up to 2X faster
- Switch chats/channels up to 1.7X faster
- Consume up to 50% less memory
- Consume up to 70% less disk space
The platform also has a fresher look that brings it more in line with styling of Windows 11 and the recently announced Copilot.
A new feature in the app will also let users log into Teams accounts across multiple tenants.
Microsoft said the new Teams will be generally available later this year, with apps for other platforms like MacOS set to come down the line. To activate the preview, a company’s admin will need to opt in, which will enable a toggle for users to switch between the old and new versions.
“The new Teams will be the foundation for next-generation AI experiences, including those we’ve previously announced, such as intelligent recap and Copilot for Microsoft Teams,” Teper said
“We will use AI to take the work out of working together by getting you up to speed on what happened before you joined a meeting or chat and answering your questions all in the flow of the discussion.
“We’re only just beginning to see the potential of AI inside of Teams, and we will have lots more to share in the future.”
