Videoconferencing apps have been a thing for a while, but with the pandemic, they've become a regular participant in the average worker's life. Microsoft Teams is one of the most popular options for videoconferencing and those daily meetings can now follow you a step further: into your car. You can expect Microsoft Teams to be a supported app on Android Auto starting in February 2024.
What to Expect From Teams in Your Car?
Neither Microsoft nor Google have given an exhaustive list of what Microsoft Teams will be able to do on Android Auto, but the Microsoft 365 Roadmap entry does hint at some of the features you can expect to see.
For one, you'll certainly be able to join meetings “from the calendar view”, make calls to speed dial contacts, and view recent calls. Of course, this likely refers only to audio calls. This makes things as safe as taking a hands-free call in your car and will prevent you from needing to pull over even when audio is sufficient. For video calls, you'll likely need to park and use your phone's camera.
Obviously, there's more to Microsoft Teams than just video and audio calls. It also has file sharing and instant messaging, among many others, but there's no expectation for features like that to show up in the Android Auto version.
Teams and Android Auto: A Long Time in the Making
It's great that Android Auto will finally support Microsoft Teams, but for people who rely heavily on the app in their daily lives, it could have come a lot earlier.
The Android Auto and Microsoft Teams collab was announced way back in May 2023 during Google I/O 2023. This announcement was made along with other popular videoconferencing apps, namely WebEx by Cisco and Zoom. However, these other options have been available since September 2023 so users didn't need to wait for too long.
Yet, it almost took a whole year before a solid date dropped as to when to expect Teams. The good thing is that it is finally on its way though, with February as the established month for its launch. For those who rely heavily on it, that's a huge convenience (especially since it has been available on Apple CarPlay for years now).
What Else Has Microsoft Been Up to?
Besides Microsoft Teams coming to Android Auto, the tech giant has also been improving the Teams platform in many more ways than just that. Major updates include improved search functionality in channels and chat, and custom backgrounds for channel announcements.
Besides Teams though, the addition of a “Copilot key” on upcoming keyboards for Windows computers will give users single-touch access to the company's own AI companion. This is a pretty big deal, especially as big changes to the Windows keyboard don't happen often.
Finally, as 2024 is getting off to a start, it means that Windows 10 is a year closer to the end of its support lifecycle. The popular operating system is slated to reach the end of its lifespan as of October 2025, so updating to Windows 11 before then is a good idea.
