Microsoft makes the Microsoft Teams Walkie Talkie feature available to all users of the app (including users of Android and iOS devices). As its name suggests, this feature allows Microsoft Teams users to transform the smartphone or their tablet into a walkie-talkie, which works via mobile data or Wi-Fi. Microsoft announced for the first time the feature two years ago, and until now had only released one preview.
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Microsoft promotes it mainly to front-line workers, employees who manage customers and perform day-to-day activities within companies. The company even cooperates with Zebra Technologies to add an exclusive push-to-talk button in a range of Zebra mobile devices. These devices are widely used by frontline workers, the most important employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“As the front line faces constant constraints from labour shortages and supply chain disruptions, it needs technology that saves time, allows for more seamless communication and maximises employee efficiency when completing repetitive tasks", writes Microsoft.
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Walkie-talkie functions are not very common in communication applications but have been adopted by some large companies. The WhatsApp allows users to record audio snippets that can be sent and received. In addition, the Slack released the Discord-like feature last year, Huddles. Finally, the Apple released its own walkie-talkie feature in Apple Watch in 2018, using push-to-talk via FaceTime Audio call.
Source: the verge