Was drawn to this article after Steve Puluka mentioned it on his LinkedIn feed so thought I would put down some thoughts on it.

Microsoft has announced that it will be removing Teams from its popular Office software suite. Instead, Teams will be offered as a standalone app, emphasizing its position as a separate product from the rest of the Office suite. This move has important implications not just for Teams users, but for other similar apps out there as well.

First, it’s important to understand what Teams is and how it fits into Microsoft’s ecosystem. Teams is a collaboration platform that allows teams to chat, share files, and collaborate on projects. It’s been a major part of Microsoft’s push into the world of remote work, providing a virtual workspace for employees to stay connected and work together no matter where they are.

By removing Teams from Office, Microsoft is making a statement about the importance of this product. It’s not just a feature or add-on to Office, but a powerful tool in its own right. This move is likely to lead to increased investment and development in Teams, as Microsoft focuses on building out its capabilities and making it even more essential for remote work.

At the same time, this move also has implications for other similar apps out there. Teams competes with a number of other collaboration tools, including Slack, Zoom, and Google Meet. By positioning Teams as a standalone app, Microsoft is signaling that it sees this market as a major growth opportunity. Other companies in the space will likely need to step up their game and find ways to differentiate themselves if they want to compete with Teams on a level playing field.

Overall, Microsoft’s decision to remove Teams from Office is an important one for the world of remote work and collaboration. It shows that Microsoft is committed to investing in this space and sees Teams as a key part of its future. At the same time, it also puts pressure on other companies in the space to innovate and find ways to stand out. It will be interesting to see how this market evolves over the coming years and which companies emerge as the winners.