Software vendor Microsoft said the next version of Lync will become Skype for Business offering better experience and comes with new server release, and updates to the service in Office 365.
More than 300 million people are using Skype for messaging, calling and sharing from desktop, mobile, TV, etc.
“We are excited about how Skype for Business takes advantage of the strengths of both Skype and Lync. We are adopting the familiar Skype icons for calling, adding video and ending a call. We’ve added the call monitor from Skype, which keeps an active call visible in a small window even when a user moves focus to another application,” said Gurdeep Pall, corporate vice president, Skype.
Skype for Business, which will be available in the first half of 2015, improves on capabilities of Lync, including content sharing and telephony. The company said transferring a call takes one touch or click instead of three.
Lync already offers instant messaging and audio calling with Skype users. Skype for Business adds video calling and the Skype user directory to call any Skype user on any device.
Current Lync Server customers will benefit from these capabilities by updating from Lync Server 2013 to the new Skype for Business Server in their datacenters. For Office 365 customers, Microsoft will do the required updates.
Image source: Microsoft
