Skype for Business

Skype for Business

By Microsoft

Skype for Business is an enterprise communication client for Android and iOS that provides voice, video, and messaging for Microsoft-licensed environments.

The App DNA

What makes this app unique?

Users hire this app to maintain secure, authenticated access to corporate Lync or Skype for Business server meetings, serving as a mandatory gate for enterprise communication workflows.

For Enterprise employees and corporate users who require secure, integrated communication tools within a Microsoft-managed environment.

What does it look like?

Key features

Unified Communicationsstandard

Integrates voice, video, and instant messaging into a single interface for enterprise users

Active Directory Authenticationedge

Secures mobile access via Active Directory Authentication Library (ADAL) integration

How much does it cost?

freemiumFree app downloadRequires validly licensed Microsoft Lync or Skype for Business Server or Office 365

The app functions as a free client for a mandatory paid enterprise server or cloud subscription, acting as a B2B distribution tool.

Velocity

Maintenance developmentperformanceopaqueShow more...

The app ships approximately 0.06 releases per week, with a significant gap between the latest release and the previous version. Development is strictly limited to maintenance, as all recent updates consist solely of generic bug fixes and performance improvements. There is no evidence of new features, content, or live operations. The release cadence has remained consistently low over the analyzed period.

See all version history

Who built it?

Microsoft

13+ apps tracked · Business

Microsoft SharePointMicrosoft SharePointMicrosoft Defender: SecurityMicrosoft Defender: SecurityMicrosoft Bing SearchMicrosoft Bing SearchMicrosoft EdgeMicrosoft EdgeMicrosoft OneDriveMicrosoft OneDriveXboxXboxLink to WindowsLink to WindowsMicrosoft OneNoteMicrosoft OneNoteMicrosoft WordMicrosoft WordRemote HelpRemote HelpMicrosoft Edge DevMicrosoft Edge Dev​Microsoft Events​Microsoft Events
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User Sentiment

What do users think recently?

Fresh user feedback skews mixed. Users appreciate legacy users appreciate the continued functionality of the application despite the official retirement of the service, but report frequent authentication failures and sign-in errors prevent users from accessing their accounts and business meetings.

How are ratings & reviews evolving?

Google Play
3.77 · 174k
App Store
4.31 · 16k

What users say, by theme

What Users Love
  • Legacy users appreciate the continued functionality of the application despite the official retirement of the service
What Frustrates Users
  • Frequent authentication failures and sign-in errors prevent users from accessing their accounts and business meetings
What Users Want 1 request inside

100 of 112 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Mixed overall

Read the full review analysis

Unlock 1 user request, each backed by review evidence.

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Competition

Competitive landscape for Skype for Business

How's the Business market?

The app maintains a 3.76 rating on Android with over 173,000 reviews, reflecting a large legacy install base that is currently stagnant. The lack of recent feature updates compared to competitors signals a transition into a maintenance-only lifecycle.

Read the market outlook

The rivals identified

Zoom Workplace
Zoom Workplaceactive nemesis

By Zoom Communications, Inc.

Zoom dominates the enterprise video conferencing space with a massive, active user base and a release cadence that dwarfs this app.

  • Offers a unified platform integrating phone, chat, and whiteboard into one seamless meeting experience
  • Maintains a high-velocity release cycle with 10 updates in six months to ensure platform stability
  • Provides deep ecosystem integrations with third-party productivity tools that this app lacks
Skype for Business vs Zoom Workplace

Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.

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The Analyst's Read

Key takeaways for Skype for Business

Where is it heading?

The enterprise communication market is consolidating around cloud-native platforms that prioritize browser-based access and high-velocity feature updates. Skype for Business remains exposed due to its legacy server dependency and maintenance-mode status, so the team must stabilize core authentication to prevent total churn to more agile competitors.

  • Frequent authentication failures and sync issues in the latest release erode the daily active habit, compounding the rating drag on Android.
  • The lack of feature updates compared to Zoom's high-velocity release cycle accelerates the migration of professional users to more agile platforms.

The SWOT

Core Strengths
  • Active Directory Authentication ensures mandatory adoption within corporate IT security policies
  • Unified communication interface provides a single-pane-of-glass for legacy enterprise workflows
Critical Frictions 3 weaknesses inside
Growth Levers
  • Persistent chat integration could improve continuity for mobile-first users
  • Simplified guest-access workflows would reduce friction for external participants
Market Threats 2 threats identified

Next best moves

1 Pivot · 1 Invest

Audit authentication flow because sign-in errors are the top complaint → reduce churn among professional users

+ 1 more prioritized move

The counter-intuitive read

The app's primary value is not its communication features…

Read the full take

Feature gaps

Real-time noise cancellation (available in Webex) +2

Since the last report: The application has entered a maintenance-only lifecycle with a reduced feature set, declining ratings, and a shift toward a freemium client model.

Bottom line

The app retains value through deep enterprise authentication, but the high frequency of sign-in errors and notification failures threatens its remaining professional user base, so the team must prioritize core connectivity stability over feature expansion to prevent further migration to Zoom.

Unlock 3 critical frictions, 2 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.

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Report last updated

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with automated quality gates, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Skype for Business, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

What's new

The application has entered a maintenance-only lifecycle with a reduced feature set, declining ratings, and a shift toward a freemium client model.

removed

Feature Set Pruning

declined

Rating and Sentiment Shift

shifted

Pricing Model Reclassification

added

New Weakness: Notification Failures

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “Skype for Business Intelligence Report.” Updated May 5, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/apps/skype-for-business

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