Skype for Business, formerly Lync 2013, for Windows Phone extends the power of Lync and Skype for Business to your mobile device – including voice and video over wireless, rich presence, instant messaging, meetings, and calling features from a single, easy-to-use interface.
Long-suffering Lync for Mac customers should get access to a first Skype for Business for Mac public preview 'real soon now,' according to new information shared by Microsoft with the IT pro community. A Microsoft Skype for Business for Mac broadcast and demonstration from late last week included some new tidbits and preview dates for the Skype for Business for Mac client. (The timeline above is from that presentation.) Update (April 26): 'Real soon now' did mean really soon. Today, April 26, Microsoft announced. As I wrote below, the preview will happen in three stages, with RTM happening in Q3 of this year.
From Microsoft's blog post announcing the kick off: 'Commercial customers can request an invite to test the Mac client at. We'll start by issuing invites to IT administrators to download the client, and gradually expand the preview to everyone in the coming weeks.' Back to my original blog post. Preview 1 will include meetings functionality - meeting calendars, instant messaging in meetings, the ability to join meetings, meet now and share desktop content. Preview 2 will add onto this base support for people and messaging and contact lists.
And preview 3 will add calling/voice support including telephony support, on top of the functionality delivered in the first two previews. During at least preview 1 and maybe beyond (I'm not entirely sure), users will be able to use Lync for Mac 2011 side-by-side with the Skype for Business preview. Microsoft execs noted that the company plans to continue to deliver new features and fixes in the form of regular, post-RTM updates. Among those cumulative updates for Mac users will be support for connectivity between consumer Skype and Skype for Business. The Skype for Business for Mac client will be at parity, or in some cases, beyond, with the Skype for Business for Windows client, officials said. (A screen shot from the demo of Preview 1 is above.) Microsoft isn't simply retrofitting the Lync for Mac product base, officials said. Instead the team has built the Skype for Business for Mac client from the ground up, they said.
On the day that Preview 1 is announced, Microsoft plans to allow interested testers to sign up and request admission to the preview 'pool' at (That site is live, but the Skype for Business for Mac preview isn't yet listed.) The coming public preview won't be just for administrators; it also will be open to end users, officials said. Related Topics. By registering you become a member of the CBS Interactive family of sites and you have read and agree to the,. You agree to receive updates, alerts and promotions from CBS and that CBS may share information about you with our marketing partners so that they may contact you by email or otherwise about their products or services. You will also receive a complimentary subscription to the ZDNet's Tech Update Today and ZDNet Announcement newsletters.
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IMPORTANT: You can't use Skype for Business on Mac to communicate with people who are using the free Skype app. You can only use it to find and communicate with people in your organization who are using Skype for Business. Find a contact in your organization. Go to the Contacts list.
In the Search for Contacts box, type a name, email address, or desk phone number if they are in your organization. If your organization uses, you can also search for the group name. As you type, search results will start appearing below the search box. When you see the listing for the person IM or call, double-click their picture or picture display area.
![Mac Mac](http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/10/Skype-for-Business-announces-new-Mac-client-and-new-mobile-sharing-experiences-2-225x300-1.png)
Choose how you want to contact the person: IM, video call, phone call, email, or schedule a meeting. Reference:.