Microsoft Teams is undergoing a significant change, with reports surfacing that the app is testing a new design merging its channels and text chat into a single user interface. This move draws inspiration from the popular communication platform Slack, aiming to simplify and streamline text-based communication for businesses and organizations.
The Verge’s Tom Warren highlighted this development in his Notebook newsletter, mentioning that Microsoft is internally testing the combined UI. An internal message from Microsoft emphasizes the benefit of this change, stating: “Our new experience brings chats and channels together to get you to what matters faster.”
While there’s no official confirmation on when this new design will be released, it is expected to be rolled out to users in the Teams Public Preview program first before reaching the general public. This gradual rollout allows for testing and refinement before wider availability.
Microsoft has been continuously enhancing Teams with various features, including 3D emojis, live interpretation, and the integration of Copilot, which leverages AI to enhance calls and chats. Copilot analyzes meeting and chat transcripts to provide valuable insights and context, improving communication efficiency.
Despite these improvements, Teams still faces competition from Slack in terms of user preference. The upcoming design change could be a crucial step in bridging the gap and potentially surpassing Slack in user experience. Only time will tell if this significant UI overhaul will be enough to solidify Teams’ position as the leading communication platform.
