Microsoft Teams has just become an alternative to WhatsApp
Microsoft Teams isn't the first name that comes to mind if you're looking for an alternative communication platform to WhatsApp after the controversial policy change regarding user data. So far, Teams has made a name for itself as a workplace collaboration platform, but it's now becoming your go-to platform for staying in touch with family and friends. Today, Microsoft announced that Teams is now also available for personal use, and it's free on mobile (Android and iOS), desktop as well as on the Web.
So what features are you getting on Microsoft Teams? Well, you can chat with friends and family to get started. And even if they don't have the app on their phone, Teams will let you communicate with them via SMS.. But that's not all. You can create tasks and to-do lists directly from chats, making it easy to collaborate on a family event like your next barbecue party. What's more, you can also schedule meetings and share invitations without leaving your chats. And soon, Teams will also let you create polls in the app.
When it comes to video calling, Teams will allow you to make a video call with up to 300 participants for free for up to 24 hours. However, this is a temporary benefit for the pandemic era and will soon be discontinued. Even after being scratched, Teams will allow you free 24-hour video calls for one-on-one interactions, while group calls will be limited to 24 participants for a maximum of 100 minutes.. And in case the tiled view reminds you of grueling video calls in the office, Teams offers an Ensemble mode that changes the view to that of a virtual cafe or living room for a more relaxed feel.
Additionally, there are some cool options for you to express yourself such as GIFs, chat animations, and emojis during video calls. And just in case you missed a group video call, you can always catch up with the fun as Teams maintains text chat during a group video call. Another convenience is that anyone can receive a Teams invitation and join a video call on the web, even people who don't have a Teams account.
Another cool feature is a dashboard that keeps all media and files shared in a chat in one place, and does so for every conversation. And just in case you were worried, you can create separate profiles for work and family, and switch between them with just one click. You can read more about all the features of Teams in the official announcement post here and assess whether this is a viable alternative to WhatsApp for you.
