Topic Last Modified: 2013-11-06

The following tables compare the features and capabilities among Lync 2013 mobile clients and the Lync 2013 desktop client in the following categories:

These tables indicate the features that are available to Lync users in an on-premises deployment of Lync Server 2013. The same features are also available to Lync Online and Microsoft Office 365 users, unless otherwise indicated in the table footnotes.

Note:

Sign-in, Push Notifications, and General Features

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Lync session remains signed in

1

1

1

1

Support for push notifications

Country code populates based on region settings

Account information for multiple users can be cached on the same device

Screen reader/voice over

2

English only



English only

Use an external keyboard with Lync

3

3

Certificate and passive authentication support for mobile clients (Lync Server only)

Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program support 

1 On Windows Phone, Lync signs out automatically if the user has not used the application for a period of time, as follows:

  • If the user has enabled push notifications, Lync signs out after 10 days of inactivity.

  • If the user has not enabled push notifications, Lync signs out after 1 hour.

On iPhone and iPad, Lync signs out automatically if the user has not used the application for a period of time, as follows:

  • If the mobile client has not contacted the server for 10 days due to loss of network connectivity or other issues.

2 In app only.

3 Must be in VoiceOver mode.

Enhanced Presence Support in Lync Mobile Clients

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Publish and view status

View status based on calendar free/busy information

View status notes and Out of Office messages

Add a custom location

Add a custom note

Publish status based on calendar free/busy information

1

Set manual presence state (such as Busy, Do Not Disturb, and so on)

1 Lync mobile clients do not update a user’s presence based on the user’s free/busy calendar information. If a mobile client user is also signed in to the Lync desktop client, the desktop client updates the user’s presence based on the user’s free/busy calendar information. If the user is signed in to a mobile client only, the user’s presence does not update based on free/busy calendar information.

Contacts and Contact Groups Support in Lync Mobile Clients

Feature/capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

View Contacts list

View contact groups

View Frequent Contacts group

Modify Contacts list

Tag contacts for status change alerts

Control privacy relationships

Search the corporate address book

Search Contacts list

Manage contact groups

Expand distribution groups

Search for Response Groups

1

Display or hide contact photos

Pin a contact to your home screen

1 Not available to Lync Online and/or Office 365 users.

Instant Messaging Support in Lync Mobile Clients

Feature/capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Initiate instant messaging (IM) with a contact

Participate in multiparty IM

Invite others from within the conversation window

Display current conversations

Navigate among multiple IM conversations

Automatically log IM conversations in Exchange

Send an IM conversation as an email message

Initiate an email to a contact

View missed IM invitations

Vibrate with incoming IM

1

1 This device vibrates every time an IM is received even if the current message in the IM conversation is displayed

Lync-to-Lync Audio and Video

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Lync-to-Lync voice

Lync-to-Lync video

Conferencing Support in Lync Mobile Clients

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Click a link in the meeting reminder to join a meeting (public switched telephone network (PSTN))

1

1

1

1

Click a link in the meeting reminder to join a video or VoIP meeting

Participate in multiparty IM

Use dial-out conferencing (server calls the mobile device)

2

2

2

2

Use dial-in audio conferencing

3

View meeting video

View multiparty video (gallery view)

Wait in meeting lobby

Use in-meeting presenter controls

Access detailed meeting roster for audio conferences

Access detailed meeting roster for IM conferences

Share desktop or program

View shared desktop or program

View shared PowerPoint

Use meeting tools (present Microsoft PowerPoint files, use whiteboard, conduct polls, share files)

Navigate a list of your meetings

Join a meeting even if you don’t have a Lync account

View more information about meeting participants

Start an unscheduled group conversation with multiple participants directly from your client or device

1 For Office 365 users, this feature is available for audio conferencing provider (ACP)-enabled meetings only.

2 Not available to Office 365 users.

3 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature is available from third-party audio conferencing providers.

Telephony Support in Lync Mobile Clients

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

In Lync, tap the call icon to call a contact

1

2

2

2

2

Transfer a call

1

Manage call forwarding

3

Manage team call settings

3

Manage delegates

3

Initiate a call to a Response Group

3

Support emergency services

4

Make calls on behalf of another contact (manager/delegate scenario)

3

Handle another contact’s calls, if configured as a delegate

3

3

3

3

3

Use Call via Work (Lync Server 2013 places your outgoing calls so that the receiver’s caller ID displays your work number instead of your mobile number)

3

3

3

3

Access voice mail

4

Use the keypad in Lync

3

3

3

3

1 Lync Server 2013, Lync Online, and Office 365 users may call other Lync users and Skype users by tapping the icon. Lync Server 2013 users may also place PSTN calls by tapping the icon.

2 For on-premises Lync Server 2013 users, on Windows Phone, iPhone, and iPad devices, the user taps the call icon in the contact card and accepts the callback from Lync Server 2013. For Office 365 users, on Windows Phone, iPhone, and iPad devices, when the user taps the call button, a dialog box opens asking the user to confirm that he or she wants to call the number.

3 Not available to Lync Online and/or Office 365 users.

4 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature is supported by Microsoft partners.

External User Support in Lync Mobile Clients

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Initiate IM with a public contact

Initiate IM with a federated contact

Conduct two-party calls with external users

Conduct multiparty calls with external users

Use Call via Work to reach a federated contact on their mobile phone by calling their published work number1

2

2

2

2

1 By default, federated users are assigned the External Contacts privacy relationship. To be able to reach a federated contact on their mobile phone by calling their published work number, the federated contact must manually assign you the Colleagues privacy relationship.

2 Not available to Office 365 users.

Address Book Integration

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Call address book contacts

Make Lync calls to contacts directly from address book

Archiving and Compliance Support in Lync Mobile Clients

Feature/Capability Lync 2013 desktop client Windows Phone iPhone iPad Android

Provide client-side archiving

Provide client-side recording

1

1 Not available to Lync Online and/or Office 365 users.