Microsoft has announced this morning a new version of Outlook for Mac, available to Office 365 customers (commercial, home, personal and university subscribers). The new design brings the app further in line with Outlook on the web and iOS and Android devices.
Here are the new features and improvements:
- Better performance and reliability as a result of a new threading model and database improvements.
- A new modern user interface with improved scrolling and agility when switching between Ribbon tabs.
- Online archive support for searching Exchange (online or on-premises) archived mail.
- Master Category List support and enhancements delivering access to category lists (name and color) and sync between Mac, Windows and OWA clients.
- Office 365 push email support for real-time email delivery.
- Faster first-run and email download experience with improved Exchange Web Services syncing.
Office 365 consumer subscribers can get this update by going to their My Account page, while commercial users can acquire it via their Office 365 Portal.
Office for Mac Roadmap Revealed
- First half of 2015: public beta for the next version of Office for Mac.
- Second half of 2015: final release available.
- Office 365 commercial and consumer subscribers get next versions at no charge; perpetual Office for Mac license release coming in same timeframe
Microsoft
says they typically release a new version of Office for Mac roughly six to eight months after Office for Windows, but things have changed after the release of Office 365, as the company wants to prioritize “mobile first and cloud first scenarios”, meaning faster and more constant support for iOS, Android and Windows Phone smartphones and tablet applications. Times have changed and it looks like Microsoft is adapting to a mobile-first strategy for Office.
