March-April developments
In March and April, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom released new updates to better accommodate hybrid work models. These updates focus on integrating new features and increasing overall product user-friendliness. This summary analyses how these changes are reshaping collaboration in the modern workplace.
Microsoft Teams has added a new capability that allows users to launch instant meetings from group chats and connect with everyone in the chat with a button.  Recently, Microsoft Teams has made collaboration and usability easier for users with updates. For town hall organisers with a Teams Premium license, the platform has a staggering 100,000 attendee capacity, twice as many as it used to have, while still preserving quality . The addition of Real-Time Text (RTT) enables participants to chat in the form of typing messages to be transcribed live. The ‘Manage what attendees see’ feature has been improved so that presenters have better control over what is shared in terms of content visibility. Another improvement is the new Interpreter agent that provides real-time speech-to-speech translation so that participants can communicate in their language and even choose how they want to be addressed.
Android Teams Rooms introduces a new AI-powered Facilitator agent. This agent generates real-time meeting notes and actions during scheduled and ad-hoc meetings. The upgraded “Room Recommender” functionality provides tailored meeting room suggestions based on participants’ locations and real-time room availability, delivering professional recommendations directly to the meeting conversation one hour before the scheduled start time.
Google Meet has introduced a trio of AI-driven updates to improve the meeting experience. The ‘Dynamic layouts’ feature uses AI to optimise attendee visibility in large meetings with two innovative tiling options: Portrait Tiles, which focus on faces by cutting off unnecessary backgrounds to fit more participants on the screen, and Dynamic Tiles, exclusive to Google Meet conference room hardware, which create individual video tiles for up to three participants in the same room, highlighting the active speaker through AI-powered recognition. The ‘Take notes for me’ feature automatically captures key discussion points and now supports seven additional languages — French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish – expanding the feature’s accessibility. Building on this, Google Meet’s AI now generates a checklist of suggested actions at the end of meetings, complete with due dates and assigned participants.
Zoom has introduced several notable updates, one key feature being the enhanced presence status for Zoom Rooms, which now displays a ‘Busy’ indicator when a room is occupied. This status is visible to users through the Contacts tab and administrators via the admin portal or dashboard.Â
Skype’s retirement and shift to Microsoft Teams Â
Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue Skype services in May 2025, bringing an end to one of the earliest pioneers in online communication. This transition marks a significant shift as Skype gives way to Microsoft Teams, reflecting the move toward more advanced, all-in-one communication platforms. Microsoft Teams will now serve as the modern replacement, offering enhanced features for both personal and group interactions.
Microsoft Teams (free) preserves the core functionalities of Skype, such as instant messaging, voice and video calls, and file sharing, while introducing significant enhancements in meeting facilitation, community spaces, and calendar management. These advancements are strategically designed to foster seamless communication across professional, personal, and educational contexts, promoting greater synergy and coherence for users.
In conclusion, Microsoft is facilitating a smooth transition by allowing users to log into Teams using their current Skype sign-in details. After Skype’s termination, the corporation’s attention is now shifting to improving Teams as an all-in-one professional and personal communication, collaboration, and educational workflow system.
Are you planning an online meeting or event and need urgent advice?
Our ConfTech Help desk provides countries and organisations with immediate advice on how to organise and run online meetings and events. Get in touch with us at conftech@diplomacy.edu.
Stay up to date!
Subscribe to ConfTech Monthly Digest to receive updates and trends on the future of meetings.
The latest from Diplo and GIP
Tailor your subscription to your interests, from updates on the dynamic world of digital diplomacy to the latest trends in AI.
Subscribe to more Diplo and Geneva Internet Platform newsletters!
Diplo: Effective and inclusive diplomacy
Diplo is a non-profit foundation established by the governments of Malta and Switzerland. Diplo works to increase the role of small and developing states, and to improve global governance and international policy development.
