Microsoft Outlook users will soon be able to use Teams chat via the email platform as Microsoft looks to introduce ‘Teams Chat from Outlook Meetings’.
According to the Microsoft 365 roadmap webpage, the company aims to provide an “easy Teams chat experience” for Outlook users.
The post states that the chat messages will be in the “context of a meeting for participants to send a quick message or review the chat”.
Reports suggest that the feature will allow users to quickly send or review messages without opening up the Microsoft Teams platform separately.
Microsoft hasn’t released much detail on how the feature will work however there is speculation that it will likely be an expansion to the Teams functions currently integrated with Outlook.
The feature is currently listed as “in development”, with a release date set for March 2023. According to the post, it will be available to all Microsoft Outlook users.
Microsoft has been updating its Teams platform recently as it tries to make collaboration and productivity easier in the hybrid working space.
One of the ways it aims to boost collaboration among colleagues is the introduction of the ‘Games for Work’ application to the platform.
The app has been developed by Microsoft Casual Games, an Xbox Games Studio, and will allow Teams users to play games such as Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Wordament.
Microsoft says the games are easy to play in quick, interactive, and multiplayer versions, with some allowing up to 250 players to participate.
The company has confirmed that all the games are safe for work (“E” rated) and will be ad-free.
Microsoft has recently found itself in hot water with the European Union’s Antitrust Commission over the integration of Teams into its Office 365 suite.
Reuters has reported that the EU has sent out a second round of questionnaires to determine if Microsoft is abusing its market position with dominant products.
The matter stems from a complaint made by Slack in July 2020 to the EU Antitrust Commission, where the company accused Microsoft of “crushing competition” and “illegally abusing” its position within the software market.
Slack believes that by allegedly carrying out the above practices, Microsoft breaches European Union laws about fair competition.
