Microsoft Office 365 News 01-28-2020: Updates to Outlook on the Web, Yammer Private Messages API and More

This week’s Microsoft Office 365 news includes a new default Outlook on the web experience in mobile browsers, updates to the Yammer Private Messages API, a delayed deployment for Safe Links for Office Online, and more.

New Features

• • New Outlook on the web mobile browser experience becomes default
    • What’s happening: Microsoft previously announced that users could opt-in to a new Outlook on the web experience for mobile browsers. The new experience will soon become the default.
    • Rollout start: Beginning of February 2020 for Targeted Release customers
    • Rollout finish: Beginning of March 2020 for all customers

• • New privacy controls for Outlook for iOS and Android
    • What’s happening: Outlook for iOS and Android will soon adhere to the privacy controls on diagnostic and related data that Office relays to Microsoft that you’ve set for Mac and Windows versions of Office 365 ProPlus.
    • Rollout start: Late January 2020, on a gradual tenant-by-tenant basis
    • Rollout finish: Mid-March 2020

Updated Features

• • Yammer Private Messages API updates
    • What’s happening: The Yammer Private Messages API currently returns a response containing all Private Messages received or sent by Yammer users. Microsoft is making an update so the API’s response will also include Private Messages a user moved to a Yammer Group via the “Move to Group” feature.
    • Rollout date: Feb. 24, 2020

Announcements

• • Rollout delayed for lobby control for dial-in Teams meeting attendees
    • What’s happening: Microsoft has updated the rollout schedule for a new setting allowing for control of the lobby for people dialing in to Teams meetings.
    • Rollout start: Late March 2020 (previously early February 2020)
    • Rollout finish: Mid-April 2020 (previously mid-February 2020)

• • Rollout delayed for Teams announcement when dial-in users join/leave meetings
    • What’s happening: Microsoft previously announced it planned to change the control that announces when a dial-in attendee joins or leaves a Teams meeting. The supplier has delayed implementation to ensure the best possible user experience.
    • Rollout start: Late March 2020 (previously mid-January 2020)
    • Rollout finish: Mid-April 2020 (previously late January 2020)

• • Service health and Message center changes related to Microsoft Power Automate
    • What’s happening: Microsoft announced plans in December 2019 to rebrand Microsoft Flow as Microsoft Power Automate. Related to that, in Service health and Message Center, “Microsoft Flow” will be relabeled as “Microsoft Power Automate,” and “Microsoft Flow in Microsoft 365” will be relabeled as “Microsoft Power Automate in Microsoft 365,” effective Jan. 30, 2020.

• • Deployment of Safe Links for Office Online delayed
    • What’s happening: Microsoft previously announced that it was in the process of deploying Safe Links – which already protects links in Office apps on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices – to Office Online. The supplier has decided to delay the deployment of this feature to ensure the best possible experience.

• • Reminder: Chrome 80 release could affect website function
    • What’s happening: Chrome 80 will release on Feb. 4, 2020. Microsoft has updated the 365 suite (Power BI, Office Online and so on) in anticipation of this change but would like to warn users that websites might not work as expected following the Chrome 80 release. It’s recommended that you test sites to see if updates are needed.

For more details about the Microsoft Office 365 suite, check out our blog series on why businesses turn to this solution. Our technology advisors can also answer any questions you have about Office 365 and/or other IT solutions and services. Contact us today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com.