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Microsoft Teams vs WebEx
June 12, 2023 | Author: Adam Levine
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Microsoft Teams is the chat-based workspace in Office 365 that integrates all the people, content, and tools your team needs to be more engaged and effective.
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Cisco Webex is your one place to call, message, meet. Build stronger relationships with face-to-face meetings and real-time collaboration using whiteboarding, screen sharing and more. Showcase the best you with video conferencing that is simple but powerful.
Microsoft Teams and WebEx are both popular communication and collaboration tools, but they have some key differences in their focus and features.
Microsoft Teams is a comprehensive collaboration platform that offers chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and integration with other Microsoft 365 applications. It emphasizes real-time communication and teamwork, providing users with the ability to create dedicated workspaces called channels, where team members can collaborate on projects, share files, and conduct virtual meetings. Teams also offers features like screen sharing, whiteboarding, and the ability to integrate third-party apps, making it a versatile tool for remote collaboration.
WebEx, on the other hand, is primarily known for its robust video conferencing capabilities. It is a web-based video conferencing platform that allows users to host online meetings, webinars, and virtual events. WebEx offers features like screen sharing, recording, and participant management. It also provides integrations with other collaboration tools, making it suitable for conducting large-scale conferences and events.
See also: Top 10 Team Messaging platforms
Microsoft Teams is a comprehensive collaboration platform that offers chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and integration with other Microsoft 365 applications. It emphasizes real-time communication and teamwork, providing users with the ability to create dedicated workspaces called channels, where team members can collaborate on projects, share files, and conduct virtual meetings. Teams also offers features like screen sharing, whiteboarding, and the ability to integrate third-party apps, making it a versatile tool for remote collaboration.
WebEx, on the other hand, is primarily known for its robust video conferencing capabilities. It is a web-based video conferencing platform that allows users to host online meetings, webinars, and virtual events. WebEx offers features like screen sharing, recording, and participant management. It also provides integrations with other collaboration tools, making it suitable for conducting large-scale conferences and events.
See also: Top 10 Team Messaging platforms
Microsoft Teams vs WebEx in our news:
2023. Microsoft’s AI-powered Designer tool comes to Teams
Microsoft is introducing its AI-driven art creation tool, Designer, to the free version of Teams. Users of Microsoft Teams can now utilize Designer, an app similar to Canva, to generate various designs for presentations, posters, digital postcards, and other purposes. These designs can be shared on social media platforms and other channels. Designer can generate designs based on text prompts or uploaded images by leveraging DALL-E 2, OpenAI's text-to-image AI. The tool offers options for customization and personalization through drop-down menus and text boxes. Designer is accessible through the web, Microsoft's Edge browser via the sidebar, and now within the free version of Teams. The announcement of Designer was initially made in October, and new features such as caption generation and animated visuals were added in April. Microsoft has also promised additional advanced editing features in the future.
2023. Microsoft rebuilt Teams from the ground up, promises 2x faster performance
Microsoft Teams, which competes with Slack, has had a reputation for being slow and resource-intensive since its launch, which some attributed to Microsoft's rushed response to Slack's success. However, Microsoft has now launched a preview of a new version of Teams that it describes as a "reimagining of Teams from the ground up." The new application promises to offer twice the performance of the previous version while using only half the memory. This means that joining meetings should be twice as fast, and switching between chats and channels will be 1.7 times faster. The company has also redesigned the user experience of the platform.
2022. Microsoft Teams targets Facebook Groups with new Communities feature
Microsoft Teams has recently introduced an exciting feature called "Communities" for Android and iOS devices. This new feature enables users to create and organize groups within their community, such as sports clubs, event planning committees, parent-teacher associations, and more. With Communities in Microsoft Teams, users gain access to a range of collaborative tools and functionalities, including group calendars, event scheduling, document and photo sharing, video calls, and chat capabilities. Additionally, the feature offers a "new events experience" that allows users to add events to their community calendar, invite guests, track attendance, and engage in private conversations with attendees. Currently, Communities is available in the free version of Microsoft Teams and is initially accessible on mobile devices, with plans for desktop compatibility in the near future. This new addition aims to enhance community collaboration and streamline communication within Microsoft Teams' user-friendly interface.
2022. Meta partners with Microsoft to bring VR to Teams
Meta has recently announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft, aimed at incorporating Windows apps and integrating Microsoft Teams functionalities into Meta's metaverse hardware endeavors. This collaboration entails the integration of Microsoft Teams with Quest devices, enabling seamless communication and collaboration. Furthermore, Microsoft will provide a solution to stream Windows apps directly to Meta's headsets. The partnership also paves the way for the inclusion of custom 3D avatars in the metaverse experience. In terms of collaboration, Meta's VR space for teamwork, Horizon Workrooms, will be connected with Teams, allowing users to join Teams meetings directly from Workrooms. Additionally, Microsoft 365 will be accessible on Quest, enabling users to interact with content from productivity applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Notably, these are not full-fledged VR versions of the apps but rather Progressive Web Apps designed for the purpose.
2021. Microsoft Teams gets 3D animated avatars
Microsoft has unveiled 3D avatars for Teams meetings, offering an alternative for those who prefer not to appear on camera. These animated and personalized avatars are part of the "Mesh for Teams" initiative, which combines Microsoft's Mesh platform for shared experiences in virtual reality, augmented reality, and other realms with Teams and its integrated productivity tools. This feature transforms traditional meetings into a unique experience. Users can access Mesh for Teams using various devices, ranging from smartphones to VR headsets or HoloLens. Microsoft also allows businesses to create their own spaces, or metaverses, within Teams, enabling individuals to virtually interact and collaborate.
2021. Cisco to acquire startup Socio to bring hybrid events to Webex
Cisco has made an acquisition by purchasing the startup Socio, a company specializing in planning hybrid events that combine both in-person and virtual elements. Socio offers a crucial hybrid event management component that will complement Cisco's existing Webex platform. The objective behind this acquisition seems to be integrating Socio's capabilities with the recently acquired Slido, thereby transforming Webex from a primarily video meeting application into a comprehensive event platform. Socio, established in 2016, has received approximately $7 million in investment capital, as reported by Crunchbase. The company boasts an impressive roster of enterprise clients, including Microsoft, Google, Jet Blue, Greenpeace, PepsiCo, and Hyundai.
2021. Microsoft updates Teams with new presentation features
The Microsoft Teams platform is introducing a new feature called PowerPoint Live, which enables presenters to deliver presentations while having access to their notes, slides, and meeting chats all in one comprehensive view. This feature enhances the presenter's experience by providing convenient access to essential resources during the presentation. Additionally, PowerPoint Live benefits attendees by allowing them to navigate through the presentation at their own pace or utilize screen readers to improve accessibility. This exciting feature is now accessible within Teams, offering users a more streamlined and interactive presentation experience.
2020. Cisco is buying Slido to improve Q&A, polls and engagement in WebEx
While Zoom continues to dominate the videoconferencing landscape, Cisco's WebEx division has demonstrated its commitment to staying competitive by announcing an acquisition. WebEx is acquiring Slido, a company renowned for its platform that enables moderators to manage questions and interactions from a large audience during virtual conferences and live events. Slido's innovative solution allows participants to ask questions in a separate space, and other attendees can upvote the questions they find most valuable, prioritizing them for discussion. Additionally, moderators can conduct polls and receive real-time feedback, fostering better engagement and audience interaction. This approach helps minimize unnecessary disruptions on the main video screen while still giving the audience a voice and the opportunity to actively participate in the conversation. The acquisition of Slido by WebEx strengthens its offerings and showcases its determination to stay at the forefront of the videoconferencing industry.
2020. Microsoft launches Dataflex, a relational database for building low-code business Teams apps
Microsoft has introduced Dataflex, a new relational database designed to empower business developers by enabling them to create, deploy, and manage Power Platform apps and chatbots seamlessly within Microsoft Teams. This integrated low-code data platform offers features such as relational data storage, diverse data types, robust governance capabilities, and simplified deployment with just a single click. With Dataflex, business users can access critical enterprise data for building low-code applications that effectively address various business challenges. Moreover, the relational database comes with built-in AI capabilities, enhanced performance, and advanced security features. By leveraging Dataflex within Teams, business users now have a supported and convenient solution for storing and managing their valuable business data, eliminating previous limitations in this regard.
2020. Microsoft updates Teams with new automation and scheduling tools
Microsoft has introduced a range of updates for its collaboration and communication platform, Teams. These updates primarily focus on enhancing the meeting experience within Teams. Users can look forward to scheduling, managing, and conducting virtual appointments using the Bookings app. Additionally, Teams' Shifts app will receive new capabilities, including triggers and templates that enable automatic approvals for shift requests, eliminating the need for manager approval in certain cases. Microsoft is also planning to streamline the integration of Power Apps and Power Automate business process templates into Teams, making it more convenient for users. Furthermore, Power BI users will soon have the ability to effortlessly share reports with Teams by simply clicking a single button.
