In brief: Microsoft is finally launching Teams for anybody. Users were allowed to test a preview build since November 2022, but just now has Microsoft launched the app to the wider public, providing them with yet another mean to communicate with family and friends. However, at present that Teams has officially released for personal use, what will happen to Skype?

The past year has seen the explosion of advice apps like Zoom, Slack, Skype, Teams, Discord and many others as people accept had to go on physical interactions to a minimum.

To further help people communicate with their loved ones, last year Microsoft launched a preview of Teams meant for personal use. This preview build included personal features such every bit free "all day" video and voice calling. Seven months have passed since and so, and Microsoft is finally ready to release it to the general public.

The latest update to Microsoft Teams comes with a slew of features to brand calls more fun, user-friendly and engaging. One of those features is 'Together mode', which allows the participants to choose a virtual environment such as a java place, a living room, or a resort.

Other attractive features are the improver of alive emoji reactions and GIFs, inviting people through email and phone number to a chat room, chatting via SMS messaging, shared task lists, grouping polls, and personal dashboards.

Those using Teams as a piece of work tool and want to apply it as a personal communication app will have their accounts split, preventing users from mixing life and work matters. Files, contacts, chats, and other business relationship information is kept on each respective account. To switch betwixt accounts, users just have to click on the profile icon located at the top of the app and select the business relationship they wish to modify.

Teams users can make 1-on-1 calls with a elapsing of upwards to 24 hours for free. Groups with up to 100 participants are also allowed to brand gratuitous calls, but only for equally much equally 60 minutes. All the same, Microsoft decided to support 24-60 minutes long calls with up to 300 users for a limited time.

With the update, Teams has basically get another Skype in Microsoft's software portfolio. We already know that Skype for Business is closing down in a few months, but in that location's no word about the hereafter of the original consumer app. Merging both is a likely possibility, only Microsoft can always choose another course of action.

Those interested can download Microsoft Teams hither for a diversity of operating systems including Android, iOS and Windows. If you lot rather skip the download and leap directly into information technology, the Teams webpage offers a spider web application.