Updated November 19, 2021 at 10:07 AM: This post has been updated with a statement from the head of product over Microsoft Whiteboard.
What you need to know
- Microsoft will roll back its Whiteboard app to its previous version following negative feedback.
- A WebView version of Whiteboard came out near the end of September 2021.
- Whiteboard users complained about latency issues, removed features, and other problems with the new version of the app.
Microsoft released a new version of its Whiteboard application based on WebView in September 2021. The switch was made to provide a unified experience across different devices and platforms and presumably to simplify the development of the app. Unfortunately for Microsoft, many people were unhappy with the new version of Whiteboard. Following negative feedback, Microsoft will revert the Windows version of Whiteboard to its previous version.
Several Reddit threads appeared with users complaining about the WebView version of Whiteboard. Fans shared frustration caused by latency, removed functionality, and stability issues.
"The old Whiteboard already had performance issues, the new app is actually completely unusable. It's astounding," said hologei. Others echoed similar sentiments.
"I've been on a training course with work this week and the instructor used Microsoft Whiteboard on the first day," shared covmatty1.
"Before the second day his laptop updated, and he was just screwed! Less features, more taps to change pen colours etc, and that was when the thing actually loaded! New boards would take a minute to open, if the app didn't just error completely and not create them. He had to resort to using Paint!"
Mathivathan Vhallatharasu, Microsoft's senior project manager over Whiteboard, shared that Microsoft will revert Whiteboard on Windows to its previous version.
We heard all your feedback and we will be doing a rollback to the previous version of the whiteboard windows app shortly (in less than a week) - PM Whiteboard for windows.We heard all your feedback and we will be doing a rollback to the previous version of the whiteboard windows app shortly (in less than a week) - PM Whiteboard for windows.— Mathivathan Vhallatharasu (@_mathi) November 18, 2021November 18, 2021
Ian Mikutel, the head of product over Microsoft Whiteboard, shared the following statement on Twitter.
📢During rollout of the new Whiteboard for Windows app, we learned you love the new features but want some old ones back.
We hear you.
We're pausing rollout & moving back anyone already upgraded as we address feedback. New features remain available in Teams, web and mobile.📢During rollout of the new Whiteboard for Windows app, we learned you love the new features but want some old ones back.
We hear you.
We're pausing rollout & moving back anyone already upgraded as we address feedback. New features remain available in Teams, web and mobile.— Ian Mikutel (@IanMikutel) November 18, 2021November 18, 2021
The old Whiteboard app should be available on Windows again in less than one week, according to Vhallatharasu.
