Right now, we embark on the following chapter of the Microsoft Groups story with the general public preview of the brand new Microsoft Groups app for Home windows.
From its inception in 2017, our imaginative and prescient for Groups has at all times been to carry collectively all of your communication and collaboration instruments in a single place, from chat and conferences to apps and information. Whether or not used for work, faculty, or life, over 280 million individuals depend on Groups each month to remain productive and linked with colleagues, companions, prospects, pals, and household. Groups has additionally enabled superb innovation from third-party impartial software program distributors (ISVs), company builders, and system integrators—leading to over 1,900 apps within the retailer in addition to over 100,000 customized apps that combine seamlessly with the Groups platform. These functions, when mixed with a broad ecosystem of Groups licensed gadgets and rooms, provide help to keep productive and within the move of labor.
We’ve got been listening to your suggestions which has culminated in a reimagining of Groups from the bottom up. The brand new app is constructed on a basis of pace, efficiency, flexibility, and intelligence—delivering as much as two instances sooner efficiency whereas utilizing 50 % much less reminiscence so it can save you time and collaborate extra effectively. We’ve got additionally streamlined the person expertise in order that it’s easier to make use of and simpler to seek out every part in a single place. These enhancements additionally present the inspiration for game-changing new AI-powered experiences, comparable to Copilot for Microsoft Groups, introduced earlier this month.1
Whereas we’ve got already been making a gradual stream of enhancements within the present Groups apps, the largest breakthroughs will solely be obtainable with new Groups. Beneath is a abstract of essentially the most important areas of enchancment however you may deep dive into the total record in our Tech Group weblog.
The brand new Microsoft Groups: Quicker, easier, extra versatile, and smarter
Quicker. Our North Star for brand spanking new Groups is to make it twice as quick whereas utilizing half the system sources. To realize this, we’ve got made a ground-up funding to overhaul the platform to optimize the information, community, chat, and video structure for pace and efficiency. We’re under no circumstances achieved optimizing the efficiency of latest Groups, however we’ve got already seen very promising information even from the general public preview construct rolling out at the moment. We’ve got labored with the impartial benchmarking agency GigaOm to quantify a few of the efficiency good points, which reviews that each app launch and be part of assembly are already twice as quick, and reminiscence consumption has decreased by half when testing the brand new Groups preview in contrast with basic Groups.2
Easier. We’re at all times in search of methods to supply an easier but feature-rich expertise for our various and rising person base. That’s why we’re excited to roll out enhancements to the core Groups expertise that can make it simpler so that you can keep on prime of your notifications, seek for data, handle your messages, and arrange your channels—all with fewer clicks. For extra data on the design journey of latest Groups, check out this weblog submit from Microsoft Design.
Extra versatile. We all know that lots of our prospects have organizations that span a number of tenants and accounts. That’s why we’ve got made a significant funding in our assist for these situations. We’ve got improved our authentication mannequin, synchronization, and notification techniques to supply a seamless and constant expertise. For instance, many shoppers have to collaborate with individuals throughout organizational boundaries, which generally means they use Groups throughout a number of tenants or accounts. As an alternative of logging out and in of various tenants and accounts, now you can keep signed in throughout all of them—receiving notifications irrespective of which one you might be at present utilizing.
Smarter. The brand new Groups would be the basis for next-generation AI experiences, together with these we’ve beforehand introduced, comparable to clever recap and Copilot for Microsoft Groups. We’ll use AI to take the work out of working collectively by getting you in control on what occurred earlier than you joined a gathering or chat and answering your questions all within the move of the dialogue. We’re solely simply starting to see the potential of AI inside Groups, and we could have tons extra to share sooner or later.
We’re concentrating on the overall availability of latest Groups later this yr in 2023. Within the meantime, we encourage our business prospects utilizing Home windows to strive the general public preview, which is rolling out beginning at the moment. We intend to increase the preview launch to a broader set of consumers, together with these utilizing Macs later this yr. Whereas customers in our Public Preview program could have entry to new Groups immediately, our broader set of business prospects will want an admin to first opt-in, after which customers will see a easy toggle to change to the brand new Groups. You’ll additionally be capable to swap again to basic Groups at any time.
Get began at the moment
Right now marks the brand new period of Microsoft Groups, and we’re simply getting began. Because the world continues to evolve, Groups is right here to be your trendy office. For a sneak peek of all the brand new experiences we’re constructing on new Groups, watch the video under.
Whereas new Groups is a giant leap ahead within the Groups journey, it’s not the one factor we’re saying at the moment. For a deep dive into the 50-plus further new options coming to Groups, make sure to take a look at this Tech Group weblog submit which summarizes all of the bulletins we’re making this week at Enterprise Join.
Thanks for utilizing Groups—we’re thrilled to introduce the sooner, easier, and extra versatile app beginning at the moment. I’d encourage you to strive it out and share your ideas with us. We look ahead to listening to from you and serving to you get essentially the most out of Groups.
Should you’re an admin, discover ways to allow the brand new Groups at the moment.
1Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot—An entire new method to work, Colette Stallbaumer, Microsoft 365 Weblog. March 16, 2023.
