Prashi Badkur, Senior Product Manager Lead for Teams phone devices at Microsoft, talks about the evolving role of physical desk phones.

Despite predictions that physical phones would disappear, there remains a strong demand for Teams phone devices across various industries, including healthcare, finance, and emergency services. Specific roles value the tactile buttons and instant functionality for high call volumes and efficiency.

• AI features including Copilot-powered call summaries for transfers and voice commands for device navigation
• Enhanced line key capabilities with remote configuration through Teams Admin Centre
• Shared line features with LED indicators and custom ringtones for multi-store scenarios
• Queues app now available on desk phones for agent opt-in/opt-out functionality
• Contact management for common area phones allowing admins to preload emergency contacts
• Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) support for phones
• Future roadmap

Thanks to Ribbon, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support.

Alexander Ivanov, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Teams explains how the Technology Adoption Programme (TAP) helps shape Microsoft Teams Android devices and drive quality.

• How TAP enables customers to test features early and influence product development
• The role of customer feedback in shaping Teams device experiences
• Why TAP is more than a preview—it’s a partnership with customers.
• Insights into certification, firmware updates, and the importance measuring satisfaction

If you are interested in participating in the Technology Adoption Program, you can fill in this form here to be considered: aka.ms/TeamsDevicesTap

Thanks to Logitech, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - August 2025

• Microsoft Q4 2025 Earnings In-Car Teams Video Calls
• Trigger workflows using emoji reactions
• On-Behalf-Of Outbound Teams Phone Calls Change
• First Unify Certified Contact Center
• No more Paid Teams Metered APIs
• GPT-5 is here in M365 Copilot and more
• Summarise Email with Copilot Chat
• Improved M365 Copilot in Word

Thanks to Logitech, this month's benefactor, for your support of Empowering.Cloud and the community.

Note that this is an audio-only version of the update, so if you would like to see the accompanying slides, please watch the video version on Empowering.Cloud

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Jim Gaynor, Editorial Vice President at Directions on Microsoft, reflects on the evolution of Microsoft Teams and its shifting role in Microsoft’s strategy.

• How Teams evolved from a Slack competitor to a central productivity platform
• The impact of the pandemic on Teams adoption and scale
• Why Teams Premium is becoming the home for advanced features
• Microsoft’s pivot to Copilot and what it means for Teams
• How customers are approaching Copilot adoption, ROI, and data governance
• Jim’s perspective on Microsoft’s long-game approach to AI and platform strategy

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Neil Milliken, Global Head of Accessibility at Atos, looks at how accessibility is evolving in the enterprise—driven by AI, inclusive design, and upcoming regulation.

Neil shares insights from over two decades in assistive technology and accessibility, including how mainstream tools like Microsoft 365 are increasingly embedding features that benefit everyone—not just those with disabilities.

• The growing role of AI in assistive tech and how it’s improving productivity and inclusion
• How features like captions, voice input, and personalisation are becoming everyday tools
• The impact of the European Accessibility Act and what it means for private sector organisations
• The convergence of enterprise audio tech and hearing support, including innovations from Jabra and others
• Why accessibility is a business imperative, not just a compliance checkbox

Neil also discusses how organisations can prepare for the European Accessibility Act (EAA), the importance of inclusive design in product development, and how accessibility features are increasingly used by a wider audience—including those with temporary or situational needs.

For more on this, check out Neil’s podcast

Thanks to Jabra, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support.

Mark Herbert (https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbertmark/), co-founder of Call2Teams (at Qunifi, acquired by Dstny) and now launching Haptap Call Manager, explores how partners are enabling Microsoft Teams Phone for SMB and mid-market.

Mark shares industry insights from his Teams journey and working with UCaaS vendors and partners to bridge SIP trunks into Teams. He gives a demo of Haptap Call Manager (https://www.haptap.com/), a cloud-hosted management tool for simplified management of Microsoft Teams phone services.

• The evolving Teams Phone opportunity in SMB and mid-market • How AI and Copilot are driving interest in Teams Phone
• The challenges partners face managing voice at scale
• Haptap’s approach to multi-tenant Teams Phone management
• Why Dstny backed Haptap as an innovation-led startup within the group

Dave Hatz, VP of Machine Intelligence at CTI, a major AV integrator and events company, shares his journey from AV programming into AI leadership.

• How AI is reshaping the AV integrator’s role, from hardware-centric deployments to software-driven, experience-focused solutions
• The shift from complex, bespoke AV setups to scalable, software-upgradable Microsoft Teams Rooms and how this enables sustainability and innovation
• The growing importance of AI features like intelligent cameras, transcription, and meeting recap, and how AV professionals can support these capabilities
• From personal productivity tools to organisational workflows, Dave discusses how CTI helps clients integrate AI

Thanks to Neat for sponsoring this podcast episode and for their ongoing support.

Callum Moore is an Enterprise Product Manager for Microsoft Teams at a global organisation supporting nearly 400,000 users. Drawing on his experience across professional services, healthcare, retail, and banking, Callum shares practical insights into managing Teams at scale.

• Client Health and Admin Tools: New Teams Admin Center dashboards are available for monitoring client version compliance, crashes, and update failures. These tools offer a more accessible way to identify issues that may otherwise go unreported and influence user perception.

• User Experience and Communication: The benefits of promoting smaller, user-focused features—such as keyboard shortcuts—and using tools like Viva Engage or Copilot to support internal communications. Callum encourages creating informal spaces for users to explore features at their own pace.

• AI and Copilot Integration: The conversation touches on how AI is influencing product management and organisational structures. Callum notes the growing need for concise, actionable information to keep pace with Microsoft’s evolving roadmap.

• Feedback and Community: Emphasising the importance of two-way dialogue, Callum encourages organisations to share feedback with Microsoft and engage with peers to surface common challenges and influence product direction.

• Troubleshooting and Network Testing: The episode also explores upcoming features like silent test calls and remote log collection

Thanks to Landis for sponsoring this podcast episode and for their ongoing support.