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Posted by on Nov 20, 2015 in Skype for Business® (Lync®)

Microsoft announces it is working on a new Skype for Business client for the Mac

Microsoft announces it is working on a new Skype for Business client for the Mac

I saw this earlier in the week:

tweet

In a webcast today, Microsoft have announced they are working on a new Skype for Business client for the Mac.

Shawn Thomas, a Principal PM in the Skype for Business is heading up the team which will build the new client.

The current status is that there are already existing clients, and they can be used today:

current status

 

However, they are also building a new client built from the ground up, using Swift and taking advantage of the latest OSX features. I have to say, it looks amazing. It’s leap-frogged the Windows client in terms of look and feel.

“Quality will be the first step for this client” – they are doubling down on having fewer features but very high quality. They acknowledge the struggles clients currently have with the 2013 Lync Mac client.

What follows are some screenshots – however these are NOT locked and are subject to change as testing and user feedback feeds back. They are directional though and show some of the available capabilities:

sfbmac1

sfbmac2

sfbmac3

sfbmac4

Timelines

These are indicative and may change, but give an indication of what’s coming and when to expect it:

timeline

Want to get involved? Here’s how

involved

Most people will join the program at the Preview stage, so look out for this happening in the first quarter of 2016!

 

Written by Tom Morgan

Tom is a Microsoft Teams Platform developer and Microsoft MVP who has been blogging for over a decade. Find out more.
Buy the book: Building and Developing Apps & Bots for Microsoft Teams. Now available to purchase online with free updates.

2 Comments

  1. We would like to be part of the Beta test. We are a totally Mac firm and are very anxious to increase our capabilities beyond the basic Skype package.

  2. Jim, Your System Admin can apply for the Preview if you sign a Microsoft NDA: http://machow2.com/skype-for-business-for-mac/

    Tom, As part of the Skype for Business team have you heard any further news about the Mac client? Thanks!

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