Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android | April 2021 Updates
Published Apr 08 2021 08:00 AM 67.2K Views
Microsoft

We are thrilled to announce a number of enhancements that are now generally available on Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android. From an updated calendar view to a new touch console experience, users now have more visibility of meetings and easier access to them on these devices.

 

A New Calendar on the Home Screen
In this release we are bringing a more robust calendar experience to the front of the room so you can see and join not only the current meeting but also future meetings as well. Also, all the familiar controls you need have moved alongside the calendar for a sleek, modern look.

calendar on home screen.jpg

 

Introducing A New Touch Console Experience
Formerly, the touch console experience mimicked a physical remote, where users had to use directional keys to navigate the UI. With this new experience on the touch console, users can directly interact with the console UI, similar to Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows. Check with your manufacturer to see if your device supports this new, updated touch console experience.

touch console.png

 

The touch console includes calendar functionality where you can view your current and upcoming meetings. In addition, it also features the most important meeting and calling functionality.

touch console view.png

 

Once you join a meeting, you will be able to take advantage of call functionality, toggle between gallery views, see hands that are raised, and use inclusive features such as pinning and turning on live captions.

views.png

 

Touch console is an optional peripheral and Teams Rooms on Android will continue functioning without the console. However, once touch console is paired, front-of-room controls will be hidden, and device operation will be available from the touch console.

 

More Enhancements When Using Microsoft Teams Rooms in Personal Mode
Some users may want to bring this experience to their home office to take Teams calls and meetings on a large, dedicated screen. If you are logged into a Teams Rooms on Android with a personal account, we have added convenient features that help you manage your meetings better.


You can blur your background or change it entirely. The background will persist across meetings to make things easier. This option is available through the ellipsis in the menu bar.

personal mode.png

 

Recordings can be an important way to keep those who couldn’t make it to the meeting in the loop. We are introducing an ability to start and stop recordings directly from your Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android. As in all other Teams applications, you can find the “Start recording” button in the … menu.

record.png

 

For now, starting and stopping recording is only supported for personal accounts. Shared account (aka resource account) support is coming soon.


Whiteboard is a great collaboration tool. Previously, users could use Microsoft whiteboard as part of a Teams meetings, but they could not initiate a whiteboarding session. We are introducing the ability to start a whiteboarding session directly from your device. You can find “Share whiteboard” button in the … menu.

whiteboard.png

 

For now, sharing the whiteboard is only supported for personal accounts. Shared account (aka resource account) support is coming soon.


Still getting started on Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android? Check our Get Started guide here:
Get started with Teams Rooms on Android - Office Support

102 Comments
Steel Contributor

What we need to deploy a Teams Room:

- Wired HDMI ingest (keeps slipping for months now)

- Zoom Direct Join support (hearing Zoom will have this shortly on their android devices)

 

Zoom is so popular noaways that dedicating a room just to Teams is a deal breaker.

 

Microsoft

Hi @ph_ly hdmi ingest will release in an upcoming release this quarter. We are in discussions with Zoom on direct join support so that will come later this year as well.

Brass Contributor

Dear MS Teams,

I will really appreciate if you could be more specific about when this new release will be available on our O365 tenant, I can see latest release January 2021.

 

I will appreciate as well to know when HDMI ingest, CVI (cloud video interop) will be available as well on MRToA and if he new advertised release already support 2 screens.

 

I think these are really the key MS features, considering that many of the collaboration bar already support the BYOD AV passthrough natively.

Awaiting your reply I will give my best regards

 

AP

Copper Contributor

Good news on the latest Android features (even if the touch panel updates are months late).

 

I'll reiterate the comment about HDMI ingest on Android, critical feature and now seemingly delayed again.

 

  • What about dual camera and PTZ support? Basic functionality that is included in every other room based system, but seemingly never coming to MTR? 
  • What about changes to the camera preview size and greater layout customisation? - possible within Zoom 
  • What about allowing an administrator to control whether HDMI content presentation is automatically initiated? This would allow for much better integration of wireless presenters that utilise splash pages by default (ie. Barco ClickShare, Crestron AirMedia) - again other platforms like Zoom Rooms allow for this
Iron Contributor

@Andrea PALAZZI Availability is based on the specific device manufacturer's firmware release which includes this Teams client.  When each Teams Room on Android product update is available it will be posted to the Teams Admin Center and documented here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/devices/teams-ip-phones#currently-certified-teams-ro....  To find out more about pending releases you should contact your device manufacturer directly.

 

Dual screens are supported in the new release with hardware that supports multiple displays (like the Poly X50, for example).

 

Cloud Video Interop does not apply to a Teams Rooms device. 

Brass Contributor

@Jeff_Schertz 

 

Thanks for your clarification.

 

MRToW already support the CVI for Webex and Zoom, is MS going to bring the same capabilities on MRToA? This will be really an added value, have a device All in one with a really simple architecture, plus USB AV native capability for Platform Agnostic solution.

 

kind regards

 

AP

 

 

Copper Contributor

It's great and all (We are heavy users), but be weary of updates. I got 2 new collaboration bars in, and after initial setup, was told there was a Teams app update in the console. It removed the ability to adjust camera in app, and I did not have one of them in their permanent place. Now neither can be adjusted until I can find out how to revert the app (separate from firmware).

Brass Contributor

@Andrea PALAZZI You're mixing up two different features.

 

CVI is how legacy hardware video room systems from Polycom/Lifesize/Tandberg/whoever join a Teams meeting. CVI adds extra lines to the invite that give details on how to dial in by IP using SIP or H323.

 

Using an MTR to join a Zoom or WebEx meeting is usually called Direct Guest Join.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/rooms/third-party-join

You're right, MTR on Windows does that today and MTRoA doesn't, but that's got nothing to do with CVI.

 

I don't know anything about the timeline for direct guest join on Android so can't help you there, but hopefully this explains why you and Jeff seem to be talking at cross purposes. ;)

Copper Contributor

Interesting that so many new features is launched and the gap between Android and Windows is decreasing.

Brass Contributor

Great to see this major update.
Sorry to say but as expected people tend to request total feature parity between MTRoW and MTRoA, which most likely will not happen.
So where to draw the line?
Getting a real table touchscreen instead of those dreadful almost-IR-remote is super welcome. As is dual screen although this might be tempting for users to put Android boxes into bigger rooms. This is not a good idea IMHO as people will get into trouble with lack of serious audio capabilities needed in bigger rooms but not offered on Android.
So, pls let's not over-think it! Keep the MTRoA where they belong. Your endusers will thank you.

 

Iron Contributor

@ryan-whitehelm Sandhya's first reply above states that direct guest join support for Zoom meetings is coming to Teams Rooms on Android later this year.

 

@Harald Steindl The Teams Rooms on Android platform is not intended to include only 'collaboration bar' type products as that category is expanding to modular room solutions a well.  So as more devices come to the Android category that will include more options for audio and video coverage in larger rooms as well.

Brass Contributor

@Jeff_Schertzthanks for your reply. Well, we could debate about this.
I dont let certain manufacturers off the hook, when their marketing department make people believe, that all it takes to realize great systems in bigger or more challenging rooms is connectivity for more than one mic & external loudspeakers. Hopefully the industry will make me look stupid by introducing great Android based room systems instead of just de-centralized (= aka "modular") soundbars. I could not care less if these devices run under Windows or Android.
It just reminds me of the 1 Soundstation with 3 extension microphones for a 20 people boardroom type of installations we all have seen too many times.

 

I am very grateful that MSFT now brings professional audio companies like Biamp or QSC to the table and literally ALLOW them to offer Teams solutions. AFAIK they are currently only certified in combination with Windows based systems.

Copper Contributor

Since a few weeks I own the S21 Ultra and ever since I have stopped working on my laptop. The Dex experience with microsoft products is fantastisch,  yet ... there is something inherently missing in the Dex software infrastructure and ms teams that must be fixed. 

 

The external monitor that Dex is working on is not recorgnized by teams as monitor. As a consequency it is not possible to:

  1. Share desktop screen from teams app 
  2. Use a screen recorder for the desktop app. 

If you share screen / record screen the phone screen (apps or Dex mousepad) is recorded, not the desktop screen.  

 

This is a major issue  in current times that we non-stop use teams/zoom/etc for our daily work. 

 

I am more than willing to support this feature, as it is the final fronteer for me to finally ditch my laptop :) 

Brass Contributor

Just update the Poly Studio x50 with the latest 3.32 firmware, just to see if there were some MS teams Improvement but suddenly MS teams does not work anymore.

The login tabled interface finally is available on tablet (so best user experience), but the MS teams on Android do not work anymore.

I have done factory reset, I can login on the TC8 with the MS Teams Account but for an unknown reason the the MS teams Sign In on the Studio x50 doesn't get the login already performed on the TC8 tablet!!!!! I will check with Poly.

Does anyone using the Studio x50 has the same experience?

 

Kind regards

 

AP

Microsoft

@Andrea PALAZZI you will need to log in separately into both the console and the bar. In order to pair the two devices, you need to use the same account credentials for both devices. 

Brass Contributor

Dear @SandhyaRao,

Before I login once and the device was configured, could you please provide more details?

The TC8 was already paired, when I login with the MS teams Room account why I should login twice?

In any case could you please provide more details about how I could login on the Studio x50 collaboration bar as well?

 

Awaiting your reply I will give my best regards

 

Andrea

Microsoft

@Andrea PALAZZI for this release the best thing to do would be to leverage the USB port on the bar, plug in a mouse to click sign in. In the next update we are updating the login experience so that you will be able to remotely login without this initial step. That next update is coming very soon. Thanks for your patience and we hope you like the touch console experience!

Brass Contributor

Well, I dont know what is happening behind the scenes in this transition phase, but in general the idea is like this:
The center-of-room-console and the "soundbar" codec are simply two totally different units running both Android and each connecting indvidually to the Teams cloud without even knowing from each other.
The only thing "linking" them together is the fact, that they are both logged in with the same credentials.

That being said plus the fact, that the official roadmap item for center-of-room-console support is ticked off just now, only God and Poly really know, what and how they have done it until now. I have to assume that until this very firmware the console was somehow directly attached to the codec, which smells like a hack.
Anyhow, from now onwards everything should be clear including MSFT's official blessing for such setups.
Great news for the platform in general btw. LIKE!

Brass Contributor

@SandhyaRao 

 

Thanks it work,

Now I'm looking how to open the admin setting!!

Copper Contributor

At our office, we use 1 Poly Studio x50 and 2 Poly Studio x30 systems with Microsoft Teams. All 3 systems have a Poly TC8 connected. When I came at the office, the systems were updated and I had to login into Teams at the Poly TC8 and pair them to the Poly Studio systems. 

Unfortunately the Poly Studio x50 wasn't updated properly and I had to do a factory reset. When done, I activated Microsoft Teams again. So far so good.

 

During our first meeting our online Teams participants on a Windows system didn't see the camera view of the meeting room. The only participant that used the Teams app on his phone did see the camera view of the meeting room.

After the meeting I created a test Teams meeting to test the camera views of all our 3 meeting rooms.

When in the test Teams meeting at my Windows system, I didn't see any of the 3 camera views. In the app on my phone I saw 2 of the 3 camera views (both x30's).

In the meeting rooms, I had different results:

On x50 I saw both x30's.

On x30 (a) I didn't see the other x30 (b) but I did see the x50. 

On x30 (b) I did see the other x30 (a) and I didn't see the x50.

It didn't help to switch the camera off and on at the Poly TC8.

 

So it's not predictable if a participant will see the camera view. 

 

Does anyone else have the same experience?

 

Kind regards,

Hans

Iron Contributor

@Harald Steindl The Poly TC8 and Studio X have always used IP-level direct communications to facilitate the device pairing at the Poly OS level.  This is how the Studio X sees the controller as well as how a paired controller's firmware is automatically updated when the Studio is updated.  The previous 'virtual remote' used with Teams Room on Android was of Poly design and was automatically shown on the TC8 when paired with a Studio X that was set to Microsoft Teams provider mode.

 

The new controller experience was developed by Microsoft, so after updating the Studio (and inherently the TC8) to version 3.3.2 the TC8 will no longer show the old remote screen and now instead launches the native Microsoft Teams Android application provided by Microsoft.  In fact this is the exact same Android application running on the Studio, except that it's running in a new 'controller mode' when resident on the TC8.

 

As mentioned in this article the controller app is still a native Teams Android application and does not communicate directly with the Teams Room on Android device.  The pairing and all communication at the Teams client level flows through the Teams service between the controller and the main room system.  So, while the TC8 and Studio X are still communicating directly at a device-level, they do not at the app-level.  This is why both devices must be manually signed in with the same Teams account.

Brass Contributor

Dear Microsoft,

could be possible to know exactly if and when these features will be available:
- HDMI content sharing ingest, (available in MTRoW)

- Wireless Content Sharing (new feature)

- make a MS Teams Participant in spotlight (available in MTRoW)

- Chat function (available in MTRoW)

- recording (not available in both)

- 3rd party joining Webex and Zoom meeting (available in MTRoW)

 

New MS teams client has been released (Android) I can see has been already loaded on Poly Studio devices but still no news on the Logitech Rally Bar. Do you have a date?

 

Kind regards

 

Andrea P.

Iron Contributor

@HansvanderZande There is a known issue that Microsoft is investigating in Teams meeting where in some cases participants using a Teams Room on Android device will not see some other participants and/or remote participants may not see the video of the MTRoA device.  If other participants stop and starting their outgoing video streams this can temporarily resolve the issue.

Brass Contributor

@Jeff_Schertz

Thanks for confirming. Maybe my post was not worded perfectly but you stated what I wanted to convey.
I just wonder what kind of communication is still left device-to-device, guess not so much anymore.

Anyhow it is great news, that this hack is now gone.

Copper Contributor

@Jeff_Schertz I have tested to let all participants switch off and on their cameras, but it's more a lucky shot if the participants see the video of the MTRoA device.

Brass Contributor

@SandhyaRao ,

 

Our MS Teams Rooms resource accounts, have a E3 license.

We are evaluating the possibility to deploy MS teams Rooms system based on Android, could you please explain more in detail what you mean with personal mode?

 

I deploy the new MS Teams Room client on a poly Studio x50, and I don't have all these options, recording, background etc..etc..

When the following:

- Present Content by HDMI (timeline)

- make an attendees in spotlight

- Chat

- Recording

 

Will be available on the MS Room System based on android?
Could be possible to know as well when 3rd party join (Webex & Zoom) currently supported in windows, will be available in the Android version?

 

Awaiting your reply I give my best regards

 

Andrea Palazzi

Brass Contributor

Please be aware of the significant bug that Microsoft has introduced with version 4.8.19.0 on the Teams Room System app on Win10 in that the Name of the room is no longer being displayed.  :(

Copper Contributor

This long awaited and postponed update is finally here!

But it still lacks 2 essential features : The device mode which allows BYOD and use camera and microphone of the room on his own laptop with another video conferencing solution (because yes our users are also invited to other meetings than teams!), and of course the HDMI ingest (both for local presentation or content sharing).

On poly X30 or X50, these features are already available for weeks with other suppliers (zoom, starleaf ...) so it seems it is not poly that delays their implementation on teams, or am i wrong ?

When will these evolutions be available ?

 

Copper Contributor

@Jeff_Schertz  We are experiencing the same issues as @HansvanderZande with Poly devices and video feed not showing.
Is there any update on this know issue or a place where we can follow updates besides creating a support ticket?

 

Copper Contributor

Hi,

 

Is there any news concerning a Teams only mode in the Supported meeting mode ? 

 

Now is :

Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams (default)
Skype for Business (default) and Microsoft Teams
Skype for Business only

Iron Contributor

@plizon Please contact your Poly sales teams for details on when HDMI ingest and Device Mode will be coming.  HDMI content sharing is not yet available on any MTRoA devices as it is dependent on a future Teams client release.  "Device Mode" (or USB passthrough mode) is not a part of Microsoft's Teams certification process and is something that device vendors are offering under their own support model.

 

@F_de_Vroome Opening a support ticket is the best course of action.

 

@John_Morren This article refers to Teams Rooms on Android.  The Teams Rooms on Windows is what you are asking about and the most recent 4.8.19.0 update addresses that: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/rooms/rooms-release-note

Copper Contributor

Dear Microsoft, 

Please enable that HDMI input in Teams for Android so we can use it anytime. Really, please... this is more important than UI changes.. Room systems need this capability. I have all these Poly Studio X50's in Teams mode and can't just walk in and connect my laptop hdmi out to the hdmi in on the x50 and use it. Poly says they are at your mercy to enable this. 

 

Please... get this done asap.

Copper Contributor

@HansvanderZande We have the samerandom  issue with X50's not sending Video to the meeting participants. Video is only displayed locally on the screen in the room. Poly VideoOS 3.3.2-286154. 

Also we have had a few issues where the user has ended the meeting on the TC8 but the camera was still active on the screen in the room. The system did not end the correctly and did not displayed the Teams picture and Room meeting agenda/times.  Power on/off seems to be the option. 

I'll see if I can get back to 3.3.1

 

@SandhyaRao  @Jeff_Schertz - Positive. The new look and you have moved the controls  to the TC8 - it's really good. Makes control easier for the users.

Teams for G7500- Any news ?

 

Copper Contributor

We also have these problems with the video stream since firmware 3.3.2

I think the problem is that first the Poly Studio X50 connects to an incoming  meeting-call and then a short time later connects the TC8 again. At this moment, the video disappears. If i disconnect the TC8 from the network, I do not have a freezing or disappearing video streem.


Even if I start the meeting-call from the Poly studio to an other Team-user - the video stream is good.

Steel Contributor

@SandhyaRao Whenever the HDMI Ingest feature comes, will this be available with just a firmware/client update for the Poly X30/X50 or does it require some more hardware?

Iron Contributor

@Olix67 This is a known-issue related to the new touch console Teams client, as you have discovered.  Microsoft and Poly are working on addressing this in a future update.

 

@Jonas Back Software only.  The X30 and X50 already include HDMI input ports so HDMI ingest for content sharing will work on your existing Studio X devices when the future firmware/client update is available to support that feature.

Brass Contributor

@SandhyaRao ,

Any update on any new upcoming MS Teams Room Android system update that will include the presentation ingest by HDMI cable, spotlight and any new feature upcoming.

Did you have any timeline? 

In addition I see the Logitech Rally Bar listed into the certified MS Teams Devices:
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-ww/microsoft-teams/across-devices/devices/category?devicetype=20&page=1... this is the rally Mini Bar with windows:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ww/microsoft-teams/across-devices/devices/product?deviceid=743 

Sometimes, I found Logitech Rally Bar certification "certification coming soon" for Android.

Did you know when this will happen as well.

I apologize to raise too many questions

Andrea P

 

Microsoft

Best is to check the M365 public roadmap for feature update timing. HDMI is scheduled to be available with the next update but timing of when it will be available on devices may vary by device manufacturer. The Logitech Rally Bar is scheduled to become available this spring. 

Copper Contributor

I've just been told by one of the vendors that HDMI ingest has been pushed to Q3 this year by MS. That's 9 months late if anyone is counting.

 

The M365 roadmap is utterly useless.

Copper Contributor

Great updates on MTR for Android! The Teams admin center now also shows the Touch Consoles and we can manage them. Very cool!

 

We have just installed five Yealink A30 and CTP18 systems. The functionality works great. One issue tho. It is very easy (too easy) to unpair a touch display via the settings. Could you please make it so that if a device is not in personal mode (SignInMode MeetingSignIn) that unpairing is behind the device pin? Just like the sign-out button in the settings menu? It seems very unlogical to offer unpairing as an option when signing out is blocked. Users who have done this then tried to log-on to the devices causing al sorts of issues :( .

 

We are also waiting on HDMI ingest! We cannot wait for this functionality to become available.

 

Keep up the good work! Thank you!!

Brass Contributor

Sorry for commenting on an older thread, but frustration has forced my hand.

 

I have the same issue as many people on the Poly x30 and x50 systems where the video is shown locally in the room, but not to remote participants.  From some testing yesterday I found this:

- If you create a Meet Now meeting from MTRoA the remote participants can not see the video feed.

- If a remote participant calls the MTRoA system they can see the video

- If you join an existing meeting from the MTRoA system the remote participants can see the video feed as long as you are the first to join.  If you arent then once again it doesnt work

 

Poly has said that Microsoft has acknowledged this as a known issue and should fix it with 3.5, however I cant find any indication of when 3.5 comes out.  Any rough indication at all please?

Copper Contributor

Thx for many good questions and replies. @Jeff_Schertz or someone else at Poly, when can we expect to see the fix it with 3.5 update?

Iron Contributor

The outbound video issues can occur on any Teams Rooms on Android system which has a touch controller connected which is using the new UI.  Microsoft has fixed this in 2021 Update #2 which is scheduled for release this month and will be included in the Poly VideoOS 3.5 release (which is currently in beta).

Brass Contributor

@Jeff_Schertz Thank you very much for the clarification on the expected release for the outbound video fix.  At least we have something to go on for now.

Copper Contributor

Edit to my original comment: Is there any updates on when the 3rd party one touch joining to Zoom or WebEx meetings with MTRoA is going to be available?

 

It looks like this is scheduled for Sept 2021 on the MS roadmap.

Iron Contributor

Correct, it was recently added to the public roadmap: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=81482

Copper Contributor

Is there a Teams Room controller APP for Android like Zoom has for both Android and iOS?

Iron Contributor

The ability to control a Teams Rooms from the Teams app on your personal iOS and Android device is slated to be available this month for Windows rooms and next month for Android rooms:  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=room%2Cremote

 

Copper Contributor

Hello,

I encounter a bug with the android bars of the Microsoft Teams room
Poly X30 + TC8 Up to Date.

 

When you associate a personal account with the bar and not a room account, the camera is disabled by default which is normal.

 

The problem is that it shows it active on the TC8 when it is disabled.

 

So the user has to click on disable when it is marked active and then enable... which degrades the user experience.

 

Do you have the same problem?

Copper Contributor

Hi Microsoft

 

On your roadmap it shows that HDMI content sharing ingest will be getting launched in June 2021. It is June, do you know what date it is getting released? 

Co-Authors
Version history
Last update:
‎Apr 08 2021 09:36 AM
Updated by: