Microsoft Teams, the video conferencing platform designed by Microsoft 365, is now directly competing with the likes of Google Meet and Zoom meetings. Microsoft has planned many updates to improve its platform to rival against its alternatives. Google meet had introduced backgrounds log time back to create something innovative in the monotonous routine of the users. Microsoft has planned a host of updates, including the ability to edit the background to a custom image. You will be able to custom use images and set them up as your backgrounds or select an image from the online alternatives. A free version of the software will also be able to use these features. Microsoft teams have also now allowed scheduling meetings and share links using the outlook calendar and google calendar for its free users. Microsoft teams have also included a new feature in the US where users can turn on live captions during calls or video meetings. These updates could help boost the popularity of the software among the customers. The cop any says that these updates are being made available because of the demands of the public and the massive growth rate of its users during the Covid-19 pandemic.
These custom backgrounds are an innovative way and could help users in a lot of ways. Microsoft has also released backgrounds supporting the LGBTQ+ community during the pride month. They can also upload backgrounds from their gallery by just going to select more options>select background effect> add new.
They have also planned to increase the no of participants on the paid version to 250 users. While Zoom offers up to 500 participants on the paid version. Still, Microsoft Teams has improved in the previous 100 users. It is also planning to increase the number of participants visible during a Teams meeting to 49. Google Meet only offers up to 16, while Zoom also offers 49 visible participants. Microsoft teams have also announced that it will make it a platform education-friendly platform because, in this pandemic lot of students are having to study through online meetings. Microsoft teams have more than 150 million people using it for educational purposes; they have planned for updates accordingly. They are also going to add the lobby feature, which will allow the host to have the power to enable people to join the meeting, even creating a breakout room and inbuilt emoticons to help people engage more. It will be interesting to see how they cope with the sudden growth of Zoom in the first quarter of the year. Zoom’s revenue increased exponentially, and it has kept its platform updated; it has introduced features and even encrypted their server for each meeting to provide further functionality. They have been working to improve their software, so other established companies have to chase the market leader trying to cut in and bring its users to their platform.
