Over the past few days, we have learned about a lot of new features for Teams, including spatial audio and video filters in meetings. Now, it turns out that Microsoft is also working on adding avatars to its online collaboration and communication platform.
According to a recent entry on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap with Feature ID 107969, avatars are hitting general availability on Teams in May. The idea behind avatars is for you to take a camera break when required, and have your personalized avatar take over instead. Microsoft has also touted customization options and reactions.
Avatars for Teams were first announced back in November 2021. At that time, the company noted that users who prefer a non-robotic interaction between avatars can enable interactive methods such as eye contact and live reactions. These 3D avatars are powered by the Mesh mixed reality (MR) platform.
Avatars for Teams have been in private preview for some organizations for the past couple of months and can be utilized through the Avatars app in the Microsoft Teams App Store. The feature is scheduled to hit general availability for desktop and Mac users in May, later this year, according to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap. However, it is important to note that timelines mentioned on this portal are tentative and may change prior to release.
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