Only a few months ago, Skype for Business, which is able to integrate into Microsoft Office Calendar and allow users to group chat with up to 250 people, was released. Now, the company will be bringing Skype for Business to the mobile world.
A version for both iOS and Android is in the works for the company, with preview versions of the software currently being available.
"We've seen great momentum in the first few months since the arrival of Skype for Business, and today, I'm excited to announce the preview of the new Skype for Business apps for iOS and Android," said Jared Goralnick, group program manager for Skype for Business in a blog post.
The app will make use of a central interface, which will allow the user to search for things like contacts and dig through previous conversations. The user interface is also rather easy to use, offering users large onscreen buttons and an option to full-screen chat. Users will be able to see their upcoming appointments from the central interface as well.
Of course, the software is only in preview right now, and no specific release date for the consumer version of it has been given just yet. We do know that the app will be released some time before the end of the year, with Lync 2013 for iOS and Android customers to receive Skype for Business in an update later in the year, according to the blog post.
Those who want to join the preview will need to have their IT administrators head here, with those administrators being able to nominate four people to be a part of the program.
Microsoft has been making increasingly large waves in the mobile industry, especially when it comes to platforms other than its own Windows Phone platform. The company seems to have realized that Windows Phone will not be the superstar mobile operating system it might have wanted it to be, but that doesn't mean that it is giving up on the mobile world altogether.
Apart from Skype for Business, Microsoft has released versions of its Office software to Android and iOS, with free, limited versions being available to anyone and more comprehensive versions being available to those with Office 365 subscriptions. Not only that, but the company is set to release a version of its personal assistant Cortana to Android and iOS, with Cortana for Android currently being available as a beta version.
Via: Microsoft
