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Microsoft’s Lync communications client for Mac goes gold

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Microsoft is readying the Mac client version of its Lync unified communications product. The Lync Mac client RTM’d on September 8 and will be on price lists next month.

Microsoft has released to manufacturing (RTM’d) its Lync unified communications client for the Mac, company officials said on September 9.

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Lync for Mac will be on Microsoft’s price lists starting October 1, company officials said. Lync for Mac will be included with every purchased copy of Office for Mac Standard 2011 through volume licensing.

The Lync for Mac client will work in conjunction with both Lync Server and Microsoft’s Lync Online service (which is available standalone and as part of Office 365). Lync is the successor to Office Communications Server and includes enterprise instant messaging, audio and video conferencing, support for presence and voice-over-IP (VOIP).

Microsoft is working on Lync clients for a variety of other platforms, including all the leading smartphone platforms. Officials have said that they will deliver Lync for iPhone, Android, Symbian and Windows Phones before the end of this calendar year.

Microsoft launched its on-premises Lync Server in November 2010 and the accompanying Windows client in December 2010. Update: There’s also a Web-based Lync app out there, as well.

Microsoft is planning to integrate Skype with Lync and make that integration available to users in some way/ways in the coming months.