Microsoft has revealed its Skype for Business update, showcasing what the integration with Apple’s CallKit framework has done to make the application more natural for users.
The CallKit API with iOS 10 has made Skype act more like the native phone call app on iPhones, allowing calls to be answered directly from the home screen. Not only that, but the caller ID will also be displayed as if it's a regular call coming through. Users can also opt to reject phone calls from the home screen, without having to open the app at all.
Phone calls can also be made via Skype with just an extra tap from the native call application. It means it's faster to call over Wi-Fi compared to previous iterations, which required the app to be launched, a contact to be found and then dialled.
You can easily switch between Skype for Business, the native call app and other VoIP apps too. This means any call data from any application that can be used for phone calls will be integrated into the regular native applications on your iOS device, such as call history.
"If you are in an important Skype for Business conversation and receive an incoming cellular call, you can send the second call to voicemail or put the Skype for Business call on hold to accept the incoming cellular call," The Skype for Business team wrote in a blog post.
IT administrators worried about the use of Skye for Business can limit features using policies, for example, if the organisation does not want Skype for Business calls to be displayed in the native iOS call log. Of course, individual users can also disable it in the app settings if it's not a universal policy across the organisation.
All of these new Skype for Business features are available in the latest version of the app, which can be updated from the App Store.
