Microsoft is all-in on development of its Microsoft Teams enterprise communication/collaboration services. Following a stream of important new tools, Microsoft is working on another feature that will expand the functionality of the app.
According to the company, Microsoft Teams will soon receive a Call Merge feature. Microsoft says the tool will arrive in August and will allow users to merge active 1-1 calls into another 1-1 or group call.
Functioning across PSTN and VOIP calls, the feature is an extension of what is already available on Skype. This furthers Microsoft’s efforts to bring Skype and Teams closer together. Earlier this year, the company said it was focused on more interoperability between the two services.
That interoperability went live in June. The feature merger will allow Microsoft Teams users to make calls and send messages directly to Skype users. In other words, recipients won’t need to be using Teams to receive messages and calls.
Growing Teams
This ability is all part of a wider push for Microsoft Teams. While Microsoft was probably planning all recent updates anyway, the COVID-19 crisis put a spotlight on communication apps. As Zoom thrived, Microsoft as sought to position Teams alongside the video communication app.
It’s worth remembering, Teams was initially more oriented towards collaboration as a direct rival to Slack. While that rivalry continues, Teams has morphed into more of a rounded experience that wants to tackle Slack in collaboration and Zoom in communication. Since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, Teams has seen its userbase soar by tens of millions.
Last week, Microsoft took a big step towards matching Zoom by launching 49 meeting participants on screen at one time. Microsoft has been teasing 49 meeting participants on screen at once for some time. Redmond confirmed the feature last month before saying it was likely to arrive in the fall. It seems the company has moved forward the release and it is rolling out in the coming weeks.
