Microsoft announces loads of new features for Outlook mobile

Outlook mobile is getting new features and improvements in May and June, Microsoft announced recently. The changes are different for each of the two mobile platforms, Android and iOS, which Microsoft plans to update.

First off, let's highlight some of the new features that have already been added to Outlook Calendar and Mail. Well, it looks like iOS users will get the option that will allow them to reserve a meeting room from their mobile device with just a tap, thanks to a new location feature that pops up when a calendar event is created.

Outlook Mail has gained a new feature that allows the app to add the details of your organization directory to your Outlook contact information. It's available under Show Organization tab, so go there if you want to learn who's who in your company. This specific feature has just been added to the iOS version of the app.

Proxy support, however, is now available to both Android and iOS users. This is especially useful to companies that are using proxies to block direct access to the internet from mobile devices.

Coming May/June, loads of new features will be available to Outlook users on Android and iOS. You can find the full list of change below, including details about what they do exactly:

• Sync draft folders—We’re adding the ability to draft a message in Outlook on one device and finish it on another. Start a message on your mobile device and finish it when you’re back at your desk—or the other way around! Outlook helps you get things done when the time is right for you. (Coming to Outlook for iOS – May 2018. Available in Outlook for Android.)

• Office Lens technology in Outlook for Android—When you need to capture and share details in the form of an image, such as a whiteboard, photo, or document, we’ve added a new photo icon to Outlook integrated with Office Lens technology. Simply start a new message in Outlook and touch the new photo icon to capture a whiteboard, document, or photo and get a trimmed and enhanced image instantly embedded in your email message. Outlook integrates the apps and services you need to be productive, so you can quickly and easily share what you need, when you need it, with fewer taps and apps! (Coming to Outlook for Android – May) 

• Quick reply—We’re making it easier to respond quickly and more meaningfully in Outlook. By keeping your message content in view, and a new reply box at the bottom of your screen, Outlook helps you keep the conversation going with a modern, chat-like experience. (Coming Outlook for Android – May. Available in Outlook for iOS)

• Favorite people—We recently announced the ability to identify groups and email folders in Outlook, and soon we will add the ability to tag your favorite people. Keeping your key contacts front and center in your mobile search experience, as well as on top of your message folders, helps you quickly identify the right people to help you get more done. You will also be able to identify favorite people from Outlook on your mobile device, just as you can today from the web, and these favorite people tags will remain consistent, so you can find them on the web or on the go. (Coming to Outlook for iOS and Android – June)

• Office 365 Groups for OneNote and meeting events in Outlook—Staying on top of what’s going on with your Office 365 Groups is made even easier with the ability to view your group events in Outlook, as well as access the group’s OneNote Notebook. You will be able to track events in the group’s contact card and simply launch OneNote from Outlook to access the notes your group compiled in its OneNote. (Coming to Outlook for iOS – June)

• Block external content—Images embedded in emails may contain content that alerts the sender that you’ve opened their email. Tracking which emails are opened can be important to digital marketers. But if you don’t want this to be tracked, Outlook now helps to protect you and your inbox and block this external content. (Coming to Outlook for Android – May)

• Single Office 365 account in Outlook—Respecting the data security and compliance policies of our largest and highly regulated customers is a key pillar to the Office 365 value. Some companies have a requirement to capture all communications information within their corporate environment. For company managed mobile devices, Outlook will help customers mitigate the risk of users copying information from their company’s Office 365 account to a personal account on a mobile device, or accidentally sending company information from personal accounts. Companies will soon be able to enforce corporate policies on their managed mobile devices to allow a single account in Outlook. (Coming to Outlook for iOS and Android – June)