Skype announced last Tuesday that the mobile version of its Business edition is already up in the works. The new version of the app will be available for both iOs and Android devices.
Skype is now under the helm of Microsoft, and with this leadership, we can expect that the new Business version will be a great innovation. This version of the popular video conferencing application is actually a replacement of the software giant's unified communications platform, Lync, and has taken its best features, both as a consumer product and as a business platform.
Skype for Business has not deviated that much from the commercial version, in which most of us are very familiar with, as it has retained features such as individual and group voice and video chat, file sharing, and instant messaging. However, this time, it can be done to 250 people.
As it is taking Lync's place now, Skype for Business will showcase the features which made Lync a hit in the business world. These merged features include: Outlook integration (to show you the presence of your contacts, whether they are offline, in a meeting, busy, etc.), upcoming appointments on your calendar, business-grade security and privacy features, and the ability to share screens during video chats.
Since this business version is being offered as a part of Office 365, it will also feature more integration with the Office suite. It will include Outlook features, and will allow you to take notes that are saved automatically in OneNote.
Compared to the Skype's older version which just shows the user's recent conversations by default, Business has a dashboard which will show the user's contacts and upcoming meetings.
The availability of larger buttons will also make it easier for the user to manage calls, add participants, and press mute. The video now also fills the screen.
As to the look and feel of it, Skype for Business keeps the portrait layout of Lync and its interface very similar to the old Microsoft platform. The Skype icons are incorporated as well.
Since the app is not fully ready yet, Skype is recruiting businesses to join the preview program at www.skypepreview.com before August 17th. Once the app goes live, which is expected to happen later this year, its users will need to have Lync 2013 installed on their devices.
