5 Reasons Microsoft Lync will Thrive in a Post-PC World

27 Apr 2014

The success Microsoft Lync has had in the Unified Communications market is impressive - both as an enterprise Unified Communication choice and more recently as a full PBX replacement option (Microsoft's Lync surging as PBX choice in North America - Network World).

The close ties Lync has traditionally enjoyed with the corporate desktop and the dominant Microsoft Office productivity suite that runs on it, have left some wondering whether Microsoft Lync will continue this success in the future - a future where enterprise information workers rely less on the corporate desktop and more on mobile and tablets for their communication and productivity needs.

This article looks at 5 reasons Microsoft Lync is well positioned to thrive as go-to communications tool in the coming years.

#1] Commitment to Lync on all major Mobile Platforms and Devices

Microsoft has demonstrated a strong commitment to offering a cross-platform mobile solution for Lync. They have released a Lync client for all major mobile smartphones and tablets (iOS, Android, Windows 8) but have also steadily improved them with regular updates that have added mobility features and made these clients more stable.

This commitment was recently reinforced at the Microsoft Lync 2014 conference. Microsoft announced a slew of improvements and features for Lync mobile including a Lync client for Android tablets, the ability to share a PowerPoint deck on the iPhone, and the ability for an anonymous participant to join a Lync conference through the Lync Web App (for more information see the More Lync Mobile Upgrades and Lync Support for Android Tablets sections of my blog post Perspectives on the Big Announcements at Lync Conference 2014).

Microsoft's delivery of a common Lync user experience while respecting the native look-and-feel for each mobile platform is impressive. The result is a great experience for the Lync user regardless of what device they are using.

#2] Microsoft Office continues to be a Dominant Productivity Suite for the Information Worker

While PC usage is slowing, the use of applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote is still healthy and growing. Microsoft Lync integrates with Microsoft Office giving a better and more efficient communication experience. For example, when a user steps into a meeting that was in their Outlook Calendar, their Lync client automatically updates to a "In a meeting" presence state, and the next time slot they are free is automatically updated in the Lync client - giving co-workers instant feedback of when they will be available. This type of integration fulfills the promise of more efficient communications and collaboration and is an important part of the UC ROI equation for enterprises.

The PC is still a dominant Microsoft Office usage device but as Microsoft releases Office on more devices used by corporate workers (such as their recent release of Microsoft Office for the iPad) and Microsoft Surface gains market share, the use of Office - which includes the Microsoft Lync client - will gain momentum across the universe of mobile and tablet devices.

#3] Microsoft Skype's Dominance in the Consumer and Small Business Space

Consumer and small business communications have trended towards a simple and friction-less experience. The $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp is prime evidence of that. Many people forget that Microsoft acquired Skype, and it is a dominant communication solution for consumers and small-to-medium businesses. Lync and Skype are integrated (IM and Audio federation is available today and Video coming later this year) which is a great value offering for users and businesses - the two worlds of corporate and consumer worlds are joined together. End users can enjoy this experience without the use of a PC.

#4] The Upcoming JavaScript Wrapper for Lync

Another aspect of recent communication trends is simple and context-based enabled web applications. Microsoft recently announced their plans for a new JavaScript wrapper (codenamed jLync) that will enable web developers to easily expose all modalities of Lync and Skype communications into web sites and web applications very easily.

Microsoft is showing they understand the significance of simple embedded communications and is positioning Lync and Skype to be major players in that future - a future that does not rely on a PC and works well in a multi-device dominated world.

#5] Lync is an Enterprise Answer

While much of this simple-device-enabled communication trend is consumer driven, from an enterprise perspective, there are increased requirements. Many simple web and mobile communication solutions lack the ability to fulfill basic enterprise needs such as compliance, archiving, reporting, security and monitoring. Every corporation needs some degree of these types of controls over their communication. Those simple communication tools might still be used by employees; but unlikely in a meaningful corporate-supported way. In a world that is trending towards little barriers between work & life communication the Lync and Skype solution offers a very nice balance - users on the two systems can communicate while Lync offers whatever degree of enterprise controls and security that are needed.

Summary

In the new world of simple embedded multi-device communication, Microsoft is well positioned with their Lync & Skype offering despite a decline in PC usage. Lync today is available on all major devices and platforms, integrates with Microsoft Office, promises to have communications easily embedded in context, all while giving enterprises the degree of control they need for corporate governance.

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By Curtis Johnstone, Unified Communications Architect, Microsoft MVP, Dell Software.

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