Microsoft introduces Threaded-Conversations
U.S. – Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: designetMSFT) is presenting a chat group to compete with the Slack app. According to a report of MSPoweruser, the company is building Skype Teams, a new service with group chat capabilities that will go straight to the niche of enterprise messaging.
The tech company already has SharePoint, Skype for Business and Yammer, but none of them present the same advantages as the likes of Slack and HipChat, both cleverly designed, Gif-stuffed modern messaging applications for work-teams.
MSP says Skype Teams will include a lot of familiar features one could find in Slack. For example, the program will allow to from different chat groups –channels- within a team, or open up private conversations with a member via Direct Messages.
Skype Teams will add the feature of Threaded Conversations – missing in its competitors – an option that allows users to reply a message on a channel simply by clicking on the reply button, while anyone else may join the thread whenever they want.
Simply put, Skype Teams will offer a similar experience to Slack, but will come integrated with other Microsoft’s core services, as One Drive, Skype and Office 365. Slack currently supports Google Drive, Trello, and Dropbox, among other third-party services.
What does Microsoft’s messaging app have to offer?
Skype Teams will also allow members to share files, notes, and other files. This particular feature raises a question whether Microsoft is leaning away the email-centric communications that have ruled enterprises for many years.
The trend to ditch out enterprise email-communications first came with Slack because of its integration of Google’s cloud application.
The app will have a sidebar to display the different tools of the service: the Activity tab to see latest notifications, the Chat tab to check conversations, the Meetings tab to find the schedule, and the Files tab to upload and download files from Skype Teams and One Drive.
One Drive is the free cloud service that comes with any Microsoft account. Interestingly, the cloud program is joining the multi-purpose corporate messaging app, while email services as Outlook and Hotmail will be left behind.
Skype Teams will include Microsoft Office 365
Member of a Skype Teams will be able to make video calls in either group or private channels. Integrated work conference calls will be a key feature of Microsoft’s alternative.
Regarding the ever-present GIFs, Team will have a solution that goes by the name “The Fun Picker,” where users can add emojis, GIFs from Giphy, Memes and more.
Lastly, Teams will have full integration with Office 365, a very powerful feature for businesses using the platform.
Source: MSPoweruser
