Microsoft removes Together Mode from Teams, a feature that cropped participants and gathered them in a shared virtual space. It allowed gestures like shoulder taps or digital high-fives. Although it reduced visual distractions, its practical use was limited. The company seeks to simplify the interface, reduce clicks, and eliminate fragmentation across platforms.
Technical foundations and interface simplification 🛠️
Together Mode processed each attendee's video streams, applied real-time image segmentation, and placed them on a predefined background. This required additional GPU resources and bandwidth, generating latency on modest equipment. Microsoft justifies its removal to reduce fragmentation between desktop, web, and mobile versions, and to decrease user confusion by offering fewer options and clicks in the interface.
Goodbye to handshakes without hands 👋
Now, when you want to virtually high-five, you'll have to settle for an emoji. Together Mode promised the ultimate digital greeting, but in practice it looked like a high school experiment with Chroma key and poor lighting. Microsoft is removing it because, let's be honest, no one really knows how those hands were high-fived without touching the screen. At least the confusion will now be less.