Microsoft has released Outlook for iOS and a preview of a new version of the calendar and email app for Android.
The company acquired email app maker Acompli last year, and the new apps are largely based on the Acompli app for iOS.
Outlook is now available as a free download from the App Store and Google Play Store.
The new Outlook apps offer a touch-friendly user interface navigating through email and calendars and the apps support Office 365, Exchange, Outlook.com, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail among other services.
Unlike Microsoft’s new Office apps for Android, Outlook will run on tablets and smartphones.
Email is sorted into “Focused” and “Other” views by default (but you can turn this feature off. Focused Inbox is kind of Outlook’s version of Google’s Priority Inbox. Important messages should automatically show up in the Focused tab, while everything else is in Other. You can move messages from one tab to the other and Outlook will learn from your behavior so that the more you use this feature, the less likely you’ll have do it manually.
Other email features include swipe actions for archiving, deleting, moving, and flagging messages, search, attachment support and a People tab which lets you quickly access your most frequently emailed contacts.
There’s also a Files tab which shows recent message which have file attachments.
Calendar features include the ability to share your schedule with other users, schedule meetings or respond to meeting requests.
I have tried it out and presently surprised it connected to my works exchange server because it has weird settings and only has previously worked with Moxier Mail.
I would like it to have an Unread Mail folder because I have a lot of filters but its a step in the right direction. Also its a little light on the settings side, but I’m sure that will come with time. Good start Microsoft.