Skype Meetings App Improvements on Mac Postponed

[Phillip Garding]

In November, we announced a number of improvements to the Skype Meetings App, our web-downloadable meetings app for use when a Skype for Business desktop app is not installed on a Windows or Mac computer.  We have shipped all of the planned improvements except one - the replacement of Skype Meetings App download with Skype for Business desktop app on Mac. 

We heard from customers that they would like more time before we make this change in order to update their documentation and training materials.  To help make this a smoother transition for customers, we have decided to postpone this change until the first quarter of 2019.  We will post an update in the new year with a more specific timeline. 

Thank you to those customers who provided feedback on this and other improvements!

[ph_ly]

Has the admin requirement been removed from the mac client?

The last version is dated November on the web, so guessing not.  How you could plan to roll this out with the admin requirement in place is stupid, quite frankly. 

[Phillip Garding]

Phillip - we have not yet released the update to the Mac client that removes the administrator requirement, since we postponed this change.  It will be coming in January.  As promised, the requirement will be removed before we make this switch.

Phil.

[Phil Lyle]

Thanks.  I don't see how the admin requirement would need to be delayed simply because you pushed this back.  It needs to be released and evaluated well before you attempt to implement this 'improvement' .

[Phillip Garding]

The work isn't being delayed, just the release point.  As you noted, we didn't release an update for the Mac app in December.  We will get this out in January.

Phil.

[PriyeshPindoria]

@Phillip Garding  - Are there any updates on the release?

[rodelmurex]

is this the same for teams? which require admin also to manage also the mac os even though its your personal device?

[Phil Lyle]

Yes, it is the same on teams, except they didn't even make a plugin.  All external meeting participants get to install the full Teams client and Mac users need admin rights if they want to share video or screen.   Supposedly, video support is coming soon in Chrome w Teams via the web (no plugin).   Nothing on any published roadmap unfortunately. 

[Phillip Garding]

@PriyeshPindoria We just released the 16.24 update to the Skype for Business app on Mac that removes the admin requirements for the installer.

[PriyeshPindoria]

@Phillip Garding - Many thanks for the update, does the joining web page now only offer SfB desktop app for download in the Mac experience? I assume this has been updated on CDN?

[Phillip Garding]

No, we have not made the switch to only offer desktop client on Mac yet.  We will have an announcement on that timeline within the next two weeks.

Phil.