Skype for Business for Mac is Now Available

Skype for Business for Mac is Now Available

Microsoft announced today that Skype for Business for Mac is now generally available. The firm also announced updates to Skype for Business on Android and iOS.

Skype for Business for Mac had been in open beta for about six months, with the first Public Preview shipping in April. Since then, Microsoft has delivered a few more previews and opened availability to broader audiences.

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But Skype for Business for Mac trails the Windows version by an incredible 18 months: That product shipped in April, too. April 2015.

That said, Mac users are now caught up and can have what Microsoft describes as a first class experience, with edge-to-edge video and full immersive content sharing and viewing.

As for Skype for Business for Android and iOS, Microsoft tells me these apps were updated with the following:

  • Ability to present PowerPoint files in a meeting, and a faster, more reliable approach from your phone.
  • Support for cloud storage apps such as OneDrive, Dropbox, iCloud and Cloud drive for easy presenting
  • Swipe gestures for easy transitions between slides
  • Once shared, a presentation is available in a meeting’s content bin for others to download and present
  • Video-based Screen sharing (VbSS) is now on the iOS client and coming soon for Android users for a for a faster, more reliable way of sharing.

You can download the various versions of Skype for Business from the Microsoft Office web site.

 

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Conversation 4 comments

  • 180

    27 October, 2016 - 9:51 am

    <p>I’m desperately hoping for a Universal Skype for Business app, ideally integrated into the main Skype app. If I could just have my Skype and SfB accounts combined on my computer, it would be a huge convenience for me.</p>

  • 1104

    Premium Member
    27 October, 2016 - 9:57 am

    <p>Hey Paul, any chance you could do a write up on the different versions of Skype available? Off-hand I can think of three: Skype, Skype for Business, and Skype Meetings. There may be others as well, not to mention the different desktop and mobile platforms. I’ve been trying to figure out what the differences are and why I should use one over the other in different scenarios, but Microsoft isn’t making it easy to compare these offerings.</p>

  • 7240

    27 October, 2016 - 11:01 am

    <p>OK, now my SfB client can receive regular Skype messages&nbsp;and&nbsp;i can connect w/ other SfB users (in different orgs too), BUTT (Hey boss, look big butts!), I cannot send a message in reply to regular Skype users… WTF? &nbsp;Why can’t these things communicate effectively? &nbsp;It’s set as [email protected]. &nbsp;I simply searched for and found it in SfB…&nbsp;</p>

  • 1513

    Premium Member
    27 October, 2016 - 12:13 pm

    <p>Looks like it is still the Lync client… I have been using the beta, and it is great.</p>

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