TL;DR: Microsoft has completely redesigned the Teams app and is claiming not only twice the speed as the previous version, but also 50 percent less memory usage and 70 percent less disk space. Reportedly, the new application launches three times quicker and enables users to toggle between chats and channels about 70 percent faster.
Microsoft has released a revamped and redesigned Teams app for Windows and macOS. The preview version was launched back in March, with the company planning for a general release in June. After a few months' delay, it's now finally available.
The software giant touts this as a significant improvement over the classic Teams app in multiple ways. The new application is built on the React framework to improve its speed and performance, using Edge WebView2 instead of Electron has helped reduce disk space and memory usage, too, something that all users can be happy about.
Since launching the new Teams in public preview, the app has added more features, including support for custom line-of-business apps, third-party apps, breakout rooms, 7x7 video, call queues, PSTN calling, contextual chat search, and more.
The classic Teams app will automatically be updated to the new version in the coming months. Personal users who want to upgrade right away, can simply download and install the new app, while Enterprise users who don't want to wait, can flip the toggle in the upper-left corner of the classic Teams app to switch over to the new experience.
Microsoft mentions that most of the performance improvements and changes are making it to the Mac version as well. Faster switching between chats and channels, quicker access to relevant information, and an overall smoother scrolling experience. Performance improvements in the macOS version will be especially noticeable when using multiple high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings.