As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Lync is becoming Skype for Business. That’s all happening this week! April 14th is the big day – we expect that’s a USA date so in practical terms it’s this Wednesday.
Office 365 users should see the change roll out automatically, although we’re expecting some kind of update being required – at the least you’ll need to accept the updates. No word yet on non-PCs – so we’re anticipating your phone and tablet apps for Lync to keep on working as normal.
We’ve been testing the update for a bit, and the changes seem to be cosmetic, making Lync look more familiar and friendly. However, you’ll see all your favourite capabilities still there, such as virtual whiteboard, webinars, screen sharing etc. Office 365 users can also expect Skype for Business to now automatically connect to all regular Skype users. Later this year, we expect to see local calling added, although that may be subject to whichever Office 365 plan you are on.
For now, we think this is a great change and we’re confident you’ll like it too.