Microsoft has seen great momentum in the first few months since the arrival of Skype for Business, and today they're announcing the preview of the new Skype for Business apps for iOS (and Android). Below is a brief look at what's new and how you can participate in the Skype for Business preview.

So what's New?

Microsoft has infused Skype simplicity throughout the new iOS app, created a new dashboard for easy navigation of your contacts, calls and meetings, and updated the In-Call and In-Meeting experience.

The updated dashboard brings the contact search bar, your upcoming meetings and most recent conversations to one place.

• Contact search bar: Search your Global Address List by first name, last name, email alias or even a phone number! On iOS, your phone contacts are also included in the search.

• Upcoming appointments: Here you'll be able to see your current and next meetings in your calendar. You can either click through to read more about the meeting or click the Quick Join icon to join the meeting right away.

• Recent conversations: Makes it easy to refer back to your most recent chats, phone calls and meetings.

Microsoft also rebuilt the In-Call and In-Meeting experience with new features that make it easier to navigate calls and meetings on your mobile phone or tablet.

•Larger buttons make it easier to mute, add participants and manage your call.

•Video, which now fills the screen, brings you closer to your colleagues.

•Microsoft also made it easier to navigate between video and content with just one tap by simplifying the IM, video and content panes. While you can still view content in full screen, you can now also view content and see the speaker's video at the same time!

Interested in Joining Microsoft's Skype for Business Preview?

To ensure IT administrators can prepare their end users and organizations for this change, Microsoft has added their Skype for Business iOS app to their Skype for Business Preview program.

To participate in the preview, IT administrators can visit www.skypepreview.com to nominate up to four end users for iOS and four for Android to participate in the preview. Microsoft asks that for those who are interested to please apply by Friday, August 14, 2015 to be considered in their first batch of participants. Microsoft will begin notifying IT admins via email of their acceptance starting the week of August 17, 2015.

In a last note, Microsoft states that if you have Lync 2013 on your iOS or Android device, you'll be getting the new Skype for Business app as an update later this year (Skype for Business mobile apps work for anyone on Lync Server 2013, Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Online).

If you're interested in Microsoft's offer then you could sign up for Skype for Business for iOS Preview here today!

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