Microsoft is making some big changes its Outlook for iOS app, and design is at the top of the list. The changes should have already hit the app for most users, but if you’ve not seen the changes yet, you can manually check your App Store to ensure the update has been triggered.
At the top of the list of changes is a large design overhaul. Frequent visitors to the app will notice the new inclusion of a bright blue header, right at the top. This addition, aping the look of Outlook’s Android app, helps to boost Outlook’s branding by bringing all the apps closer together in design. The original design, an all-white color scheme, was meant to directly combat Apple’s built-in mail app, and has been in place since Outlook for iOS was created after Microsoft bought email app Acompli back in 2014.
Other changes aren’t so obvious. Swiping to take actions on emails now includes haptic feedback, and the calendar icon animates when moving backward and forward. Your email list contains avatars, making it easier to see your contacts at a glance, and an improved search lists your recent queries and contacts. There’s also the option to set up custom swipe actions, and responding to calendar invites opens a mini-view of your upcoming events so you can see when you’re free.
It’s clear that this update focuses on improving the day-to-day quality of life of Outlook for iOS users, rather than adding a bunch of new features. However, one highly anticipated feature has been left off the list for now. Dark Mode — always high up most people’s lists of desired features in any app that lacks it — isn’t included in this particular update. But it is coming, and will be included in a later update.
Emails are a huge part of our modern daily life, and constant updating with new features and quality of life improvements are key to the life of any email app — something that Microsoft is clearly aware of. If your current email client just isn’t cutting it for your iPhone, check out our list of the best mail apps for iOS.
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