Rather than buy Slack, Microsoft appears to be modifying Skype to encompass Slack features
A few months ago, rumors circulated that Microsoft considered buying the cloud-based team collaboration tool Slack for a generous $8 billion. Overpaying again, it seems, as Slack’s last known valuation was $2.8 billion.
Now it seems that Microsoft has decided to build rather than buy, using its own Skype messaging service as the basis for a new product. According to the site MSPoweruser, Microsoft is coming for the Slack market with a product called Skype Teams.
Adding credence to the claim is the fact that MSPU has a screenshot of Skype Teams in action.
From the looks of it, Skype Teams will include a lot of similar features found in Slack. For example, Skype Teams will allow you to chat in different groups within a team, with each group assigned a “channel,” along with direct messaging.
Skype Teams will also feature threaded conversations, one of the major features missing from Slack. Threaded conversations are similar to the comments found on Facebook, where you or anyone else can reply to a message on a channel by clicking on the reply button.
Skype Teams will also allow users to share files and notes with other participants, and it will feature Office 365 integration, something Slack doesn’t have, undoubtedly allowing for file sharing of Office documents. In fact, MSPU says Office 365 subscribers will get Skype Teams first.
Of course, the core features of Skype will also be present in Skype Teams, like video calling, and the ability to schedule online meetings.
The one thing not addressed in the MSPU story is where Sharepoint fits in to all of this and if there will be any connectivity or integration there.
Microsoft is reportedly preparing Skype Teams for all devices, so in addition to a Web and a Windows app, it will launch Skype Teams for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone.
