Microsoft Teams Room Windows or Android

Microsoft Teams Rooms – Windows Vs Android? 6 Clear Differences

Microsoft Teams has become the communications and collaboration technology of choice for many businesses with currently over 330,000 companies using the platform worldwide. As businesses have started to invest in video conferencing for meeting rooms, Microsoft Teams must be matched with best-in-class video devices and room systems to ensure meeting quality stays high. This article examines the two certified room systems available for Microsoft Teams Rooms: Microsoft Windows and Android.

Microsoft Teams Rooms: Windows Vs Android

There are currently two certified room systems available for Microsoft Teams; Microsoft Windows and Android. For a successful deployment of Microsoft Teams rooms, it’s essential to identify the right devices for your meeting spaces and carefully evaluate the functional and use case differences between these two operating systems.

Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows

 

Microsoft Teams Rooms - Windows

A Microsoft Teams Rooms system on Windows utilises a dedicated Windows PC that remains in the meeting room. Unlike ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD), a dedicated Windows PC, paired with Teams Rooms certified audio & video components ensures that the solution will meet Microsoft’s performance thresholds.

Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android

Microsoft Teams Rooms - Android

A Microsoft Teams Rooms ecosystem on Android utilises a host of different collaboration devices that are all running on Android OS. This is a more recent addition to the Microsoft Teams Rooms system but for many, it has a role to play in modern meeting rooms.

Both of these solutions can solve different organisational requirements, so to make it easier to understand which one is right for you we’ll highlight the key benefits of each.

Consider Windows if you require:

Flexibility

There is a greater choice in selecting various audio & video devices across different form factors and price points. Similar flexibility is coming to Android by manufacturers, but at a slower rate.

Large Meeting Room Requirements

There’s a vast range of certified solutions comprised of PC, video & audio and touch controllers designed specifically for large meeting room requirements.

Direct Guest Join

A one-touch experience for joining third-party online meetings, allowing Microsoft Teams Rooms, to join meetings on other platforms including Cisco WebEx and Zoom.

Customised Design

There are currently many more choices in camera placement and mounting options that address rooms of varying sizes and configurations.

Unified Platform

The alignment of Microsoft Teams on the Microsoft operating system is very beneficial to a business that uses Microsoft Windows as its standard OS.

Early Access To New Features

The constant development of Microsoft Teams Rooms will give native Windows users earlier access to features like room capacity notifications, white-boarding, casting, breakout rooms, content camera support and others which will be rolled out to Android at a later date.

Consider Android if you require:

All-In-One Simplicity & Management

There is greater ease of purchasing, installing and managing multiple rooms and sites with all the required software, hardware and connections to the cloud service built into a single collaboration device.

Personal Mode Collaboration

A mode for individual users that use the compact size of some Android devices for an office or remote work environment, allowing them to sign in using their personal accounts and use Teams features such as background customisation and ‘Pin Video’.

Remote Site Enablement

Locations that do not have on-site technical staff will benefit from the straightforward, plug-and-play installation.

Mixed OS Environments

Businesses with rooms of various sizes and local support resources are empowered to manage all of their Teams Rooms through a single web-based portal, regardless of the underlying operating system.

Cost Efficiencies

Android-based solutions that can be implemented on all-in-one devices eliminate the need for additional components such as a dedicated Windows PC.

Small Space Collaboration

Beneficial for small meeting rooms, huddle rooms and other meeting areas that require fewer components, connections and cables.

Devices

Microsoft has invested heavily in meeting room technology, with many partnerships with leading audio & video device manufacturers. With so many options it can be hard to know what’s going to work best in your business. There are some fantastic Microsoft Teams Rooms, and certified audio & video devices out there from the likes of Logitech, Yealink and Poly.

Windows  Devices

Yealink

Windows Devices

Poly

Logitech

Android Devices

Yealink

Android Devices

Poly

Logitech

If you would like more information on Devices for Microsoft Teams, please get in contact with us. 

Final Thoughts

Every business has different requirements but the key factor is interoperability with other video meeting software. By that, we mean the ability to join video meetings regardless of what platform they are hosted on, i.e. Zoom, Webex and others.

With Microsoft Teams Rooms, the feature that enables this is ‘Direct Guest Join’, a feature that is available to Windows OS and is currently in a heavily controlled beta release in Android (full release expected in April 2022). However, this is not expected to be as seamless as the Microsoft Windows experience.

Microsoft intends to increase the feature parity between Windows and Android and they have made several strides to closing the gap, but right now it’s important to match the right solution to the respective requirement, regardless of future plans on the Microsoft roadmap.

If you need some assistance on what will work best for your business, call us on 0800 032 8274 or book a discovery call here.

 

About Marlin Communications

Marlin Communications is an award-winning, leading provider of Unified Communications & collaboration solutions including voice, data, mobile, video, network security and contact centre technology for businesses of 50 – 5,000 staff.

We have clients across the south of England and in Europe and our own, on-premises, 1,000 ft² Technology Suite at our Bath office, where we host regular events and showcase technology solutions for our clients. Contact us for your free comms audit or product demo.

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