Andrew Cunningham writes by way of Ars Technica: In case you or your employer makes use of Microsoft Groups for communication, excellent news: Microsoft is releasing a completely rewritten model at the moment for Home windows PCs and Macs that guarantees to run quicker whereas utilizing fewer system assets. A preview of this app was initially launched for Home windows in March, however the ultimate launch covers all forms of Groups situations, re-adds assist for options like breakout rooms and third-party app assist, and helps macOS. The brand new Groups app is notable for improved efficiency and diminished disk house utilization, particularly when operating on Home windows PCs. Microsoft says that the reformulated model of Groups is “as much as two instances quicker whereas utilizing 50 % much less reminiscence” on Home windows techniques. That sound you hear is outdated and underspecced work PCs in workplaces around the globe respiratory a sigh of reduction.
Microsoft credit its Edge WebView2 backend with serving to enhance efficiency and cut back disk utilization on Home windows. That is potential partly as a result of WebView2 can use a lot of the identical system recordsdata and the identical runtime because the Edge browser constructed into Home windows 10 and Home windows 11. The older Groups app used the Electron framework, additionally utilized by communication apps like Slack and Discord. Although Electron and WebView2 are primarily based on the Chromium browser engine, every Electron app consists of its personal self-contained model of the browser recordsdata, which all have to be saved and up to date individually.