Microsoft adds Enhanced 911 functionality in latest Lync for Mac update

Microsoft has updated its Lync for Mac offering by adding Enhanced 911 (E911) functionality with location awareness.

E911, which the company said was highly requested, allows users to customise their location and enable a more precise emergency response location (ERL), as well as sharing their location with other users.

The company has made changes to the user interface – allowing users to choose their video camera during a Lync call without ending the meeting – and improved file/picture transferring through the instant messaging tab and desktop sharing.

This update also fixes a number of bugs including ‘Audio stutters in a conversation or meeting in Lync for Mac 2011 every 20 to 30 seconds’ and ‘Slow screen updates during application sharing or desktop sharing session in Lync for Mac 2011’.

“The Lync team is serious about our vision of universal communication (UC),” commented Nikolay Muravlyannikov, program manager for Lync and Barak Manor, product manager for Lync in a blog post. “To get to the next phase, we not only need to provide an amazing UC solution, we must also deliver it on the platforms our customers care about (Windows, Windows Phone, Mac, iOS, and Android).”

This follows the update to Skype for iPhone, which Microsoft is rolling out within the next week.