We started to rely on internet services more than ever due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Whether it is for best apps for focussing while working from home, or video calls. Video conferencing apps like Zoom have played an indispensable role to keep life going. Now, with the rise of online concerts, Microsoft is working on a thoughtful new feature it calls music mode for Teams.
Music Mode on Microsoft Teams
According to the feature description in Microsoft 365 Roadmap, Teams will support up to 32 kHz sampling rate mono audio at 128 kbps. Moreover, Teams’ development team will optimize the audio processing settings for reproducing music with high fidelity. The video conferencing service will automatically adjust the audio bitrate based on your network connection and will go as low as 48 kbps.
Microsoft says you’ll need good quality audio gear to get the most out of this new feature as a host. “To benefit from this improved fidelity, professional microphones and headphones or high quality external loudspeakers are ideal (no Bluetooth headsets). Built-in microphones and speakers on laptops such as the Surface Book will also deliver good experience,” wrote the company.
You can also choose to turn off features such as echo cancellation, noise suppression, and gain control if needed. The feature is currently in the works and Microsoft hopes to make music mode available sometime this month. As far as the availability is concerned, you could expect music mode in Teams’ desktop app. It remains to be seen if music mode will eventually make its way to the mobile version of Teams.