Microsoft launches Send, an iPhone app that makes emails feel more like instant messages

How does it work? Connect Send to your Office 365 email account and the app will sync your contacts, which will be displayed right on the app's homescreen. From there, you can initiate a conversation by tapping on a contact, or even send a quick predefined quick reply by swiping to the right on a contact. 

It should be noted that the regular emails will not show up in Send. Instead, the app will focus on the IM-style conversations initiated within Send. In a way, Send acts much like an IM extension of Office 365 emails, not completely unlike Google Hangouts is integrated with Gmail on the desktop. 

Microsoft's Send attempts to streamline email communications by dropping the subject line. Just select the recipient and type the body of the message and you're on your way. Again, Microsoft wants you to use Send not for the traditional, long, and formal messages that usually populate your inbox. Instead, Send is designed to facilitate the transmission of simpler, shorter, more informal messages.

For now, Microsoft Send only works with Office 365 business and school email accounts, although the company mentioned that broader availability is planned for the future.

Send is the child of Microsoft Garage, an internal initiative that allows Microsoft employees to explore various forward-looking ideas and projects. The apps that come out of Microsoft Garage are aimed to test-drive the market receptibility of various concepts, helping Microsoft decide whether full-blown products should be considered. At the moment, Send is only available for the iPhone, but Microsoft said that the app will make its way towards Android and Windows Phone in the near future.

source: Microsoft via TechCrunch