Originally published at: Nextcloud Talk: Our Open-Source answer to Microsoft Teams - Nextcloud
When cables are cut, sanctions are put in place or privacy legislation prohibits the use of the service your entire organization depends on, what can you do?
Amidst geo-political changes, organizations face dependencies on large, centralized communication platforms. A major example of this is the SaaS-only communication platform Microsoft Teams. It is the only solution on the market which deeply integrates video calls, team chat and large group call features with real-time document collaboration and file sharing, and has become critical to the functioning of many organizations. Which, in turn, has allowed Microsoft to hike prices by 20 to 40% and not face an excodus of customers – as they and their data are fully locked in.
Organisations, small and large, need a way to ensure the resiliency and digital sovereignty of their operations – an open source, privacy respecting alternative to Teams. And today, we present that solution.
Welcome to Nextcloud Talk
Today, live from our Enterprise day in Paris, we launch Nextcloud Talk „Paris“. It is the only open-source solution that integrates all key features – from chats and video conferencing to webinars – into a single platform while avoiding vendor lock-in.
Our platform meets the highest standards of compliance with privacy legislations like GDPR or HIPAA and offers strict data security, ensuring full data control. Thanks to its open architecture, Talk can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems and tailored to individual needs.
Nextcloud Talk is designed to address three key use cases. Let’s go quickly over them!
Efficient team chat
Similar to platforms like Slack or Mattermost, the integrated chat in Nextcloud Talk is designed to help teams stay connected throughout the workday. With multiple chat rooms and the ability to edit files directly within the chat, Talk streamlines hybrid team collaboration and boosts efficiency. End-to-end encryption ensures that conversations remain private and secure, while integrated real-time notifications keep everyone in the loop. All data stays under your control, meeting the highest privacy and security standards.
Video calls for seamless collaboration
Nextcloud Talk makes virtual meetings easy and accessible across devices. Whether it’s a quick check-in or a larger team meeting, our platform ensures powerful collaboration for hybrid working teams. Features like integrated whiteboards, screen sharing, and joint document editing make real-time collaboration easier than ever. Scheduling and joining calls is effortless, directly from the Nextcloud interface, integrated with the calendar app for easy scheduling of meetings.
Interactive webinars, education and training sessions
Talk enables you to host engaging webinars – bringing audiences like teams, students, or customers together. The platform supports live streaming, Q&A sessions and screensharing and comes with moderation features and a virtual lobby with waiting music. Functions like the integrated chat, animated reactions, polls and breakout rooms make the learning experience more interactive and fun. All this, and more, is available wherever you are. Not only in the browser, but also with apps on iOS and Android! When your colleague calls you while you’re out, your phone will ring and you’ll be able to share your screen to show them a quick presentation you’re working on.
Numerous new features for better collaboration
New desktop app
No more searching through browser tabs! The new app offers direct integration and notifications, allowing users to communicate and join calls effortlessly.
New AI features
Tired of taking notes in long meetings? Enjoy our automatically generated summaries of video meetings! Dreading those 173 unread messages in the morning? The Nextcloud Assistant summarizes them for you. Less work, less stress!
Visual collaboration
The interactive whiteboard enables teams to brainstorm and develop ideas in real-time – ideal for workshops and project planning.
Simplified teamwork
Documents can be collaboratively edited directly within chats or video calls.
Mindfulness features
To promote a healthy meeting culture, calls can now automatically end after a set time.
High-security communication
Nextcloud Talk is the only collaboration platform that meets the highest security standards and can also be deployed in airgap environments.
Discover more new features
Calls:
- Summarize Call recordings automatically with AI
- Enforce a maximum call lenght
- Option to always disable devices by default
- Option to download a call participants list
- Option to blur background by default
Chat:
- Summary of chat histories when there are many unread messages
- Option to directly download attachments
- Highlight file and object shares with an icon in conversations list
Guests:
- Identify and recognize guests invited via mail address
- Allow inviting email guests when creating a conversation
Conversations:
- Option to archive conversations
- Automatically lock rooms after days of inactivity
Voice Messages:
- Auto play voice messages which are grouped together
Polls:
- Draft, import and export polls
A glimpse into the future of collaboration
With Nextcloud Talk, we empower companies and public institutions to work securely and productively – regardless of their location or infrastructure. The platform is ideal for on-premises installations or hosting by local cloud providers, giving companies and organizations full control over their data.
Finally, the open source community has a real answer to Microsoft Teams.
Learn more at https://nextcloud.com/talk
Get started with Nextcloud Talk
Learn more about Nextcloud Talk and get started right away!