With the Lync Conference in San Diego, a lot of news coming around Lync technology.
Microsoft provided an updated roadmap for its Lync unified-communications platform about:
- Lync 2013 mobile apps for Windows Phone and iOS will be available in early March, with Android coming about a month later. The new versions of these apps all get VOIP and video over IP. iPad users also get the ability to view shared desktop and application content in a Lync meeting.
- The next version of Lync Server is coming in Q2 2014. That's about 18 months after the Lync Server 2013 product was released to manufacturing -- instead of two to three years later, as has been the cadence for new Office Server deliveries.
- Lync Online, the Microsoft-hosted version of Lync Server, is on a quarterly update schedule.
- Enterprise voice support for Lync Online is on the list of features due some time in the next 18 months.
- Structured meeting support for Lync Online and Lync Server also are on the list of functionality coming some time in the next 18 months.
- Lync and Skype connectivity, Microsoft announce Lync-Skype connectivity for presence, IM and voice will be available to all Lync users by June 2013.
- Lync Room System, At today’s conference, Crestron, Lifesize, Polycom, and SMART announced their intent to bring Lync Room System products to market to meet the growing need for collaboration-enabled conference rooms
