Your Microsoft Groups calls might be about to get a complete lot extra entertaining due to the addition of a brand new function closely influenced by Zoom.

The video conferencing platform has revealed it’s engaged on video filters for customers so as to add a bit extra customization to their feeds.

These additions look more likely to go additional than the prevailing instruments that permit for blurred Microsoft Groups backgrounds, or a set of fundamental pictures, to permit customers to indicate a bit extra persona on a name or assembly.

Microsoft Groups video filters

In its publish on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap (opens in new tab), the corporate describes the brand new addition as permitting these in Groups Conferences to “increase their video stream with visible results”. 

It provides that the consequences might be offered by app builders on Groups Platform, which means there must be a variety of choices accessible at launch, together with important expansions quickly after as increasingly more customers embrace the device.

The replace continues to be listed as being “in growth” in the meanwhile, with an anticipated common availability date of February 2023, so customers will not have to attend an excessive amount of longer. Upon launch, it would initially solely be accessible to Microsoft Groups desktop customers internationally.

As talked about, video filters have lengthy been a preferred function on Zoom, permitting customers to brighten up their calls with a spread of backgrounds, digital hats and glasses, and different framing results.

The platform revealed animated avatars again in March 2022, giving customers the prospect to seem in animal type, with selections starting from cat to cow, raccoon, rabbit, canine and extra. The avatars not solely substitute the unique video feed, but additionally mirror the particular person’s head actions and facial expressions courtesy of some AI methods.

Microsoft additionally just lately revealed that its subsequent era of Groups would function a major customization improve. It famous that firms utilizing Microsoft Groups Premium would be capable of add their very own branding, custom-made backgrounds and Collectively Mode scenes to spice up their presence in conferences.

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