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Teams users will get more interactive features like WhatsApp which might be needed to keep people using the platform.
Teams will have more interactive features like WhatsApp in 2025
Microsoft is set to enhance its communication app, Teams, by introducing threaded conversations and a revamped user interface that merges chats and channels. This upgrade aims to “simplify users’ digital workspace by bringing chats, teams, and channels into one place.” According to The Verge, threaded conversations are expected to be available by mid-2025, while the combined view of channels and chats will begin rolling out next month.
Jeff Teper, President of Collaborative Apps and Platforms at Microsoft, stated that these upgrades will facilitate the integration of chat and channels into critical workflows, providing users with quick access to their conversations. This change will eliminate the need for users to navigate between different areas to check their individual or group chat messages.
Microsoft is also working on several other enhancements for Teams, including the ability to create custom sections for organizing chats and projects. Similar to WhatsApp, a new “Favourites” area will display all bookmarked chats and channels, providing easier access to priority conversations.
The company will also introduce features like message previews, a consolidated list view for all channels, and visible timestamps. These updates are designed to streamline navigation, making it simpler for users to stay organized and informed within a single workspace.
The update will come with a new Mention feature, which, as the name implies, allows you to easily view conversations in which you are mentioned in chats or channels. This is similar to what the users currently see on WhatsApp.The above-mentioned features will be available to both desktop and mobile versions of the app in a public preview in November 2024, while the Android and iOS versions of Teams will get these features sometime later.
“We are starting to test threads with users this quarter and will increase tests in early 2025, with widespread availability expected for mid-2025,” Teper added, quoted by The Verge.
Earlier in August, the tech giant unveiled a new unified Teams app, allowing Windows and Mac users to switch between personal, work and education accounts without installing multiple apps. Also, users can also switch between accounts without having to sign out and back in, as well as join meetings without logging into an account.