Microsoft Teams hits 44M daily active users, spiking 37% in one week amid remote work surge
.jpg)
Microsoft Teams is seeing massive user growth as remote work becomes the norm amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The chat, collaboration and video conferencing app saw its daily active user count rise more than 37 percent over the past week, from 32 million to 44 million users around the world. During that time, Microsoft also signed up six additional large business customers with more than 100,000 users each.
“COVID-19 has impacted the lives of people around the world,” said Jared Spataro, Microsoft 365 corporate vice president. “We believe it will be a turning point for the way people will work and learn.”
Software that enables remote collaboration has become essential as companies implement work-from-home mandates to help slow the outbreak of novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. Video conferencing company Zoom, for example, has seen shares rise more than 70 percent this year as other tech stocks tumble.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said he’s been pretty much “living on Teams” for the past few weeks since the Redmond, Wash-based tech giant asked Seattle-area employees to work remotely.
The technology has “really been just an amazing boon in a time like this,” Nadella said during a virtual press briefing this week. He predicted that there will be “a fundamental structural change in how we transcend some of these geographic boundaries.”
Spataro called it an “inflection point.”
“We’re going to look back and realize that this is when it all changed,” he said. “We’re never going to go back to working the way we did.”
Teams competes head-to-head with Slack in the market for work chat and collaboration. Slack this week said it added 7,000 customers over the past seven weeks and unveiled a new redesign. Tech giants Google and Facebook also offer workplace chat and collaboration tools, and the lines are blurring between different segments of the market as many apps combine chat and video conferencing.
Microsoft revealed the new user milestone, as well as several new Microsoft Teams features, as part of the product’s third anniversary. Microsoft Teams debuted in 2017 and reached 20 million users this past November. Since its launch, Teams has expanded beyond chat to include virtual meetings, calls and other collaboration features.
New features coming later this year include a real-time noise suppression tool that uses artificial intelligence to minimize background noise. The technology can filter out noise such as a crinkling bag of chips while someone talks.
There is also a “raise hand” feature that lets users send visual signals when they want to speak; a new integration with industrial headset devices made by Vancouver, Wash.-based RealWear; offline and low-bandwidth support for chat messages; a pop-out chat function; Microsoft 365 Business Voice, which turns Teams into a business phone system; and the first collaboration bar certified for Teams, a device called the Yealink VC210 with speakers, microphone and camera.
Microsoft this month began offering a six-month free trial to the premium version of Teams.
Teams has also been through some rough patches recently, as the service suffered an outage that lasted several hours in Europe earlier this week. Teams also went down last month.
A survey from RBC showed that Microsoft businesses such as Azure, Skype for Business, and Microsoft Teams could help the company weather the impact from COVID-19. Shares of Microsoft are down 25 percent this month amid the broader stock market slump. The company said in February that it will miss revenue guidance for its “More Personal Computing” business segment, which includes Windows, due to the outbreak.
Slack’s shares fell last week after its fourth-quarter earnings report. Slack did not reveal its updated daily active user numbers but said it has 110,000 paid customers, up 25 percent year-over-year. Slack said in October that it had more than 12 million daily users, a 37 percent increase over the prior year.
source geekwire
Industry: Unified Communications
Latest Jobs
-
- IAM Consultant- OKTA
- Germany
- upto €90,000 plus benefits
-
I am looking for an experienced IAM process Manager to help drive forward a series of IAM implementation for a global Manufacturing business, Ideally you will be skilled with Okta and have knowledge of PAM Solutions, You will be responsible for: Driving the design and continuous improvement of complex IAM solutions in close collaboration with business partners Consult on the optimisation of IAM processes and design proper IT-based solutions to meet availability and quality targets Define technical specifications for SW-development (standards, design patterns, test cases, scenarios) and manage the life cycle of designed solutions Actively scan for relevant innovations and new technologies to identify further potential for improving IAM solutions and processes using OKTA Analyse new features of the regular Okta releases We are looking for someone with strong IAM experience as an Architect, Analyst, Technical Engineer, or similar role in the Identity and Security domain Experience with relevant certifications in development/administration, design and configuration of the Okta IAM platforms Familiar with LCM - joiners, movers, leavers, application federation - SAML, OIDC, SCIM and many other IAM terms Good mix of competences in IAM business process and project management concepts and tools e.g., ServiceNow, Jira, PRINCE2, SCRUM (agile)
-
- SAP Security Consultant
- France
- upto €70,000 plus benefits
-
I am looking for an experienced SAP Security Consultant. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of SAP security concepts and be able to apply them to real-world scenarios. ideally you will also have experience with Securitybridge or Onapsis, or a similar SAP security tool. Your responsibilities will include: Reviewing and auditing SAP security settings and controls Identifying and remediating security vulnerabilities Implementing security best practices Educating users on SAP security Experience experience in SAP security Experience with Securitybridge or Onapsis, or a similar SAP security tool would be very advantageous Strong understanding of SAP security concepts Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills Excellent communication and presentation skills Fluent in French & English
-
- Post Grad MSc Cyber security - Junior Cyber Risk Analyst wanted. UK
- United Kingdom
- Entry role
-
The perfect start to your new Cyber Security Career. Post Graduate Cyber Risk Analyst Wanted. Are you are fresh from earning your Cyber Security MSc and eager to start your career in Cyber Security? We are looking for a recent post graduate to join a forward thinking Cyber Security Consultancy for the ideal entry role into Cyber Security. Whilst employed industry experience is not expected, as full training and support will be provided, a history of recent education in Cyber Security / Cyber Risk is essential. We are looking for someone with an inquisitive mind, who is confident to ask the right questions and who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo. Superb communication skills are a must (in person, written and verbal) This is a UK based role that is remote first with monthly travel (1-2 a month) to meet with the team and in time to meet clients. If you aren’t available to travel this isn’t the opportunity. We are unable to provide VISA sponsorship as there will be a requirement to achieve Security clearance If you're adaptable, open to fresh perspectives, and excited to be part of a forward-thinking team and looking for an opportunity to help make a difference in a Cyber consulting role, this opportunity is for you. For more information apply here……
-
- Microsoft Exchange Contractor | London | OUTSIDE IR35 | SC Cleared
- London
- OUTSIDE IR35
-
Microsoft Exchange Contractor | London | OUTSIDE IR35 | SC Cleared • We require someone that has experience of migration exchange from windows server 2012 to 2019. • In depth understand of On-Prem exchange server management and deployment. • Experience migrating On-Prem exchange servers from 2012 upwards. • Secure Email Gateway experience essential Due to the nature of the requirement the individual must be commutable to London 2-3 days a week.