What is Microsoft Loop and why isn't it built into Teams?

(Pocket-lint) - Microsoft has introduced a caller Office app, called Loop, which is designed to supply users with a caller mode to collaborate connected documents.

In 2019, Microsoft launched the Fluid Framework successful bid to springiness developers the tools to make real-time, editing-based applications. While astatine the Ignite conference successful November 20021, Microsoft took the wraps disconnected Loop and revealed it's based connected Fluid. Here's everything you request to cognize astir Loop.

— Nando Costa (@nandocosta_art) November 2, 2021

What is Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft said Loop is simply a caller app that "combines a almighty and flexible canvas with portable components that determination freely and enactment successful sync crossed apps". 

It's each precise PR-speak astatine this point, but from what we tin tell, Microsoft is giving 365 subscribers a caller mode to enactment together, remotely. You tin organise everything you request for a task into a azygous workspace and usage portable "components" to implicit enactment successful chat, meetings, oregon documents. The thought is you tin usage Loop to co-create a task and way advancement with notifications, highlighted changes, presumption labels, task lists, and more.

What tin you bash with Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft promises to disclose much astir Loop successful the coming months, but determination look to beryllium 3 main features to the app:

• Workspaces: These are spaces that let you and your squad to radical things successful a project. You tin spot what everyone is doing and way progress.
• Pages: These are "canvases" for you to organise components and propulsion successful links, files, oregon information for a project. They're flexible, increasing arsenic you adhd to them.
• Components: Microsoft describes components arsenic "atomic units of productivity that let you to collaborate" connected a Loop leafage oregon successful a chat, email, meeting, oregon document. Components tin beryllium lists, tables, notes, oregon thing arsenic circumstantial arsenic a lawsuit income accidental from Dynamics 365.

Why isn’t Loop built into Teams?

That's really successful the works, with Loop components, but determination volition besides beryllium a dedicated Loop app.

When volition Microsoft Loop beryllium available?

Microsoft hasn't said erstwhile the Loop app volition beryllium available, but it said Loop components person begun to rotation retired successful different Office apps - similar Teams, Outlook, and OneNote. (To larn much astir Loop components and however they work, spot Microsoft's technical sessions video here.)

Will Microsoft Loop beryllium escaped to use?

Presumably, Loop volition necessitate a Microsoft 365 subscription, arsenic it volition beryllium tightly integrated with different Microsoft 365 Office apps. 

Want to cognize more?

Microsoft has a dedicated webpage for Loop here, arsenic good arsenic an announcement blog station connected Loop here.

Writing by Maggie Tillman. Originally published connected 2 November 2021.