Microsoft Teams is the company’s answer to Slack, which for those unfamiliar is a chat space designed for the enterprise. However, it seems that Microsoft is hoping that more non-enterprise users might be keen on using its Teams platform because the company has announced that it will now be open to friends and family.
Microsoft actually previewed the personal version of Teams back in 2020, but it looks like it is finally available for all. In terms of features, it will be more or less the same as the enterprise version of Teams. Users will be able to chat, make video calls, share calendars, locations, and files quickly and easily.
If you’ve ever used a messenger service like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Discord, and so on, then this shouldn’t be too different. It will also be available across mobile devices including iOS and Android, as well as the web and desktop. What’s interesting about this is that Microsoft still has Skype which is meant for consumers.
With Teams now opening up for personal use, one has to wonder about the fate of Skype, although for now it seems that Microsoft will be keeping Skype around. If you’re interested in the personal features of Teams, then head on over to Microsoft’s website for the download.