Skype for Web Beta allows Skype Calling in Google Chrome - Skype for Business replaces Lync as Skype for Web Beta finally allows Chromebooks to use Skype

Great news for Skype users who use Lync at work but love Skype anyway! Microsoft is finally killing off Lync.

However, it’s not a total homicide; Microsoft will merge the easy to use features of Skype with Lync and thus rebrand Lync as Skype for Business in the First Quarter of 2015 as stated in the article “Microsoft kills Lync name in favor of Skype for Business”, published Nov 11, 2014 6:00 AM by Mark Hachman, PC World.

Skype for Business will have your Lync features in a Skype-like interface that you’ve come to known and love. Good to note I’d predicted this back in November 2012 around the same time news had trickled out that Skype was set to replace Messenger as noted in my blog article entitled “Microsoft replacing Messenger with Skype by First Quarter of 2013AD - A Solid Pitch Perfect (2012) Tablet and Smartphone Ecosystem for the Corporate Road Warriors”.

Sky is and still remains one of Microsoft’s best acquisitions to date. Its replacement of Messenger in 2013 and now Lync in 2015 proves its worth.

Now it’s got yet another surprise up its sleeve; it’s coming to the Browser in the form of Skype for Web Beta as stated in “Microsoft starts rolling out Skype for Web beta”, published November 14, 2014 -- 15:01 GMT (07:01 PST), by Mary Jo Foley, ZDNET.

Skype replaces Lync – Skype for Web Beta rolls out allowing Google Chromebooks to use Skype

Microsoft has now adopted the ORTC API for Web RTC (Real Time Communications) Protocol, the HTML support for VoIP Communications on the Internet, allowing Skype to be used without the need to download a plugin as announced in a Blog post on their Skype blog entitled “Bringing Interoperable Real-Time Communications to the Web”, published 10/27/2014 by Garage & Updates by Senthil Velayutham, Skype Blog.

Skype for Web Beta differs slightly from the update in March 2014 to the Skype Plugin that allowed you to initiate a Skype call from within your Chrome Browser as described in my blog article entitled “Skype-ing from your Browser now possible as WhatsApp conspires to kill International Calling”.

Skype for Web Beta, with the adoption of ORTC API for Web RTC (Real Time Communications) Protocol, eliminates the need for annoying downloads of their cumbersome Plugin. Instead, it'll be baked into your favorite Browser, be it Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome of Microsoft's own Internet Explorer. You'll just go to a Web interface for Skype just like you currently do for Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft OneDrive, login and start skyping.

Chromebook users must also rejoice, as it's a final solution for them living without Skype. In fact, it might be one more reason to get a Google Chromebook, now on their way to triple their less than 1% of the PC market come 2017 as stated in my blog article entitled “Chromebooks Sales to Triple by 2017 – How Rapid Sales Heaven for PC Makers means Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface Pro 3 under attack”.

I'm pretty excited about Skype for Web Beta and I’m especially excited by the idea that you'll be able to make Group Calls for free in your Browser, a feature Skype had rolled out in April 2014 as explained in my blog article entitled ”How to make a Free Group Call in Skype – Google+ officially a Ghost Town Again as Microsoft gears up for WhatsApp free VoIP Calling in June 2014”.

Here's the link:

Skype for Web Beta