New Microsoft Teams Experience: Chats and Channels are being consolidated into a single app

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Already available in targeted release, Microsoft Teams has been "streamlined" into putting chats, teams, and channels into a single app. Here’s what you need to know about the new features and how they can benefit you. Previously, users had to navigate separate Chat and Teams views, which could be cumbersome and time-consuming. With the new update, all conversations whether they’re individual chats, group chats, or team channels are now unified in a single Chat view. This means you can easily switch between different types of conversations without losing context. The application also has a couple of new features like:  Custom Sections: Organize your projects and topics with custom sections that can include individual, group, and meeting chats, as well as channels. New Filters: Focus on what’s important with filters for Unread, Chat, Channels, Meetings, and more. @Mention View: Quickly access all your personal @mentions in one interactive list. You can tailor the new chat and

Teams meeting experience is getting a long awaited feature

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Yesterday a message regarding Teams meeting experience landed in the Admin Message Center. Teams is getting three new features this month.

One of them have been demonstrated for a long time, but it is finally coming to a client near you: Custom Backgrounds is supposed to be rolling out mid April.

I am guessing this has been one of the most requested features at user voice, and with the WFH situation many of us are in, this is most welcome in order to "hide" distractions in the back. And no, that's not my living-room you see in the picture.

The other two features are also most welcome, and will increase the meeting experience for users.

By adding a "Meet now" button in channels, it will be easier than ever to launch an ad-hoc channel meeting. And by changing/enhancing the landing page for a Teams meeting invitation a user is taken to upon clicking an invite, it is more clear to the end user what options the users have to join the meeting.

There are no admin controls related to these feature at the time, but you may want to update your training and inform your users about the new features.