The key attributes of Skype and Lync are to be blended in a new release planned for H1 next year called Skype for Business. Lync's successor will incorporate the familiar Skype icons for calling, adding video and ending a call.
"We've added the call monitor from Skype, which keeps an active call visible in a small window even when a user moves focus to another application," said Gurdeep Pall, Corporate Vice President of Office Lync & Speech Group at Microsoft, in an update.
"At the same time, Skype for Business keeps and improves on all of the capabilities of Lync, including content sharing and telephony. For example, transferring a call now takes only one touch or click instead of three.
"We're also making it easier to connect to people everywhere. Lync already offers instant messaging and audio calling with Skype users. Skype for Business adds video calling and the Skype user directory making it possible to call any Skype user on any device."
Pall also noted that current Lync Server customers will be able to take advantage of these capabilities by updating from Lync Server 2013 to the new Skype for Business Server in their data centres.
No new hardware is required, and for Office 365 customers Microsoft will do the required updates.
"We are bringing together the familiar experience of Skype with the enterprise security, compliance, and control from Lync," added Pall.
Skype is used by more than 300 million people for messaging, calling and sharing.