Microsoft is making good on its commitment to add more e-mail and SharePoint integration to its Yammer enterprise social-networking product.
On October 15, as part of its “Working Social Tour” event in San Francisco, Microsoft execs shared more on how the Yammer roadmap is evolving. (This is the update to the Yammer roadmap that Microsoft execs discussed in June 2013.)
Here’s what’s new/next, according to the Softies:
- Redesign of the Yammer iPad app, with a focus on helping users get through messages easily
- Improvements to the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 Yammer apps, with features such as improved live tiles, toast notifications and better inbox functionality
- The ability for e-mail users to participate in group discussions through email, using a Yammer group such as a distribution list
- The ability to participate in Yammer conversations via e-mail even without a Yammer account
- Messaging interface updates, including typing indicators, real-time likes, the ability to add multiple coworkers
- The ability to start Yammer conversations from documents stored in SharePoint Online(announced in September)
- The ability to forward the results of an Office 365 search directly to a Yammer account
Microsoft bought Yammer in June 2012 for $1.2 billion. In the past year-plus, Microsoft execs have been sharing publicly the roadmap for Yammer integration with other Microsoft products. Microsoft also has been stepping up internal usage of Yammer during that time.
In other Office 365-related news, Microsoft execs also announced on October 15 a new educational deal, known as Student Advantage. Beginning on December 1, 2013, education institutions worldwide that license Office 365 ProPlus or Office ProPlus for staff and faculty can deliver Office 365 ProPlus for students at no additional cost. Microsoft officials said the company now has 110 million users worldwide of the Office 365 Education SKU.