Microsoft updates Teams with new Walkie Talkie feature

(Image Courtesy: Microsoft)

Microsoft has introduced a new Walkie Talkie feature to its office communication platform Teams. The feature allows you to press and hold the microphone button, to relay a quick note to a teammate, or to quickly offer an opinion in a meeting. To stop, simply let go of the microphone button.

Interestingly, the feature was announced nearly two years ago, and has been in testing and preview builds since then. Microsoft is also pushing this feature as a collaboration tool for frontline workers.

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The Redmond giant has tied up with Zebra devices for mobile phones with dedicated Walkie Talkie buttons, as part of the rugged TC series, more mainstream-oriented EC series and scanning-based MC series of phones.

In the blog post announcing the new feature, Microsoft says, "As the frontline faces continuous constraints from labour shortages and supply chain disruptions, they want technology that saves them time, helps them communicate more seamlessly, and maximises their efficiency when completing repetitive tasks."

Microsoft also announced the Reflexis Shifts connector for Teams, which syncs with Reflexis Workforce Scheduler (RWS) that lets managers easily manage and maintain rosters.

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The company says that the partnership with RWS will help drive worker autonomy and provide optimised scheduling. It also announced new endpoint management solutions, such as a GPS-powered map that can track devices and locate a misplaced gadget on the frontline, where workers share devices.