14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just announced support for its Outlook app on the new Apple MacBook Pro Touch Bar, which was launched by its Cupertino-based rival in late 2016.
Microsoft has been working on adding Office support for the Touch Bar for quite some time now, and today the company pushed Outlook compatibility for the new Apple feature to the Slow ring of the Office Insider program, promising to start general availability rollout in the coming weeks.
With Touch Bar support, Outlook users are getting quick access to formatting options and reminders when working with the calendar, with Microsoft trying to offer a smoother experience without the need for browsing through the app’s menus.
“The Touch Bar in Outlook provides quick access to the most commonly used commands as you work on email and manage your calendar. When composing a new mail or meeting request, the Touch Bar displays the common formatting options. When viewing your calendar you can switch between different views. And when viewing the reminders window, you can join an online meeting with one tap on the Touch Bar,” Microsoft explained in October last year when it announced Touch Bar support in Office.
Other Office improvements
In addition to the Outlook support for the Touch Bar, Microsoft is also shipping a couple of other features to Slow ring insiders, including tools to read email in a different language.
Starting with this version, users can translate emails without closing Outlook with the help of the Translator add-in that comes with support for up to 60 languages.
And last but not least, there are more features available straight from the inbox using dedicated add-ins, with Microsoft explaining that it’s working on adding new ones in the coming updates beside the already-available Wunderlist, Boomerang, and others.
General availability for all these features is planned for the next few weeks and we’ll let you know when retail users start getting them as well.