Next Version of Skype for Business Server Planned for 2021

• The next version of Skype for Business Server is planned for 2021 and will require a subscription license.
• Customers should expect few new features because Microsoft’s focus is on migrating customers to Teams.
• Recent updates to Skype for Business Server 2019 replace some elements of the current Silverlight-based control panel with one based on HTML5.
• The retirement of Skype for Business Online, planned for July 31, 2021, will require changes for customers with hybrid deployments.

Skype for Business Server, Microsoft’s on-premises unified communications solution, continues to receive minor updates, and a new version requiring a subscription license is planned for the second half of 2021. 

Current Version

Skype for Business Server software provides a unified communications solution for voice, chat, and video communication, as well as “enterprise voice” capabilities to integrate with or replace on-premises private branch exchange (PBX) telephone systems. It works with client applications for desktop and mobile devices, notably the Skype for Business client for Windows, and provides a limited browser interface for conference attendees.