Microsoft has
announced the official availability of the new Skype for Business client and Skype for Business Online, only a month after releasing the first product as a
technical preview. Rolling out now, Skype for Business is set to quickly replace Lync, with all customers expected to be upgraded by the end of May 2015.
The client is rolling out as part of the April monthly upgrade for Office 2013, while its Online counterpart just started to make its way to Office 365 customers across the globe. However, customers who need "a little more time" to migrate over to Skype for Business Online are given the option to switch between it and Lync.
As the name suggests, Skype for Business takes certain cues from the popular Skype that we are all familiar with. The interface is similar, but, on top of that, there are more Lync-like features and beefed-up enterprise security, and other things that should make life easier for IT departments managing Skype for Business. The IT leads I have talked to are eager to leave Lync in their rear view mirror as quickly as possible.
