Get ready for 'Microsoft Teams,' Microsoft's answer to Slack

On the eve of its October 26 press event in New York, Microsoft appears to be readying a new messaging platform called Microsoft Teams. The service already has a log-in page for beta testers posted, as well as a splash page to launch the app.

Reports of a Microsoft collaborative chat service first surfaced in September, when the site MSPowerUser acquired screenshots of what was then referred to as "Skype Teams." Based on the images, Skype Teams looked to be a Slack competitor, another popular messaging platform for businesses, offering many of the same tools.

For example, Skype Teams would allow you to chat with other users on different teams or channels, upload files, and embed emojis, GIFs and memes. However, Skype Teams also appeared to have some unique features, such as an integration with Microsoft's cloud service, OneDrive, and a meeting scheduler (or calendar) built in.

With the freshly posted log-in and launch pages, it looks as though Microsoft changed the name from Skype Teams to Microsoft Teams. While the company has not released official word on the service, it could announce the news Wednesday during its event. Of course, CNET will be covering the presser, so check back with us for updates.

Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment.