14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has been super committed to the Apple ecosystem lately, and this is only because the company wants to make its applications available pretty much everywhere.
Needless to say, there are plenty of Microsoft users with a Mac, and the Redmond-based software giant knows this very well. This is one of the reasons the software firm is committed to improving its Mac software portfolio, including here the Office productivity suite and other apps.
Outlook is one of the Microsoft apps that have received quite a lot of improvements lately, and this week the company announced even more goodies coming to its users.
It’s iCloud support for Outlook on Mac, a feature that simply makes sense given it’s an Apple platform we’re talking about here.
Microsoft hasn’t yet shared a specific ETA as to when the new feature is supposed to go live in Outlook for Mac, and the company only said the rollout would kick off in the coming weeks.
“We continue to learn how customers want to use our products through continued feedback. So, thank you to each and every one of you who have shared your experiences with us. Today we are pleased to announce support for iCloud accounts in the new Outlook for Mac. This will enable you to organize work and personal emails, contacts, and calendars together in one app so it is easier for you to stay connected to what matters. We will start to roll this out using the new Outlook for Mac in the coming weeks,” Microsoft says.
There’s more to come for Outlook users with a Mac computer.
Microsoft also announced a dictation toolbar coming to the app, and this once again confirms the company’s commitment to alternative working methods that do not rely on the traditional mouse and keyboard.
More specifically, the new dictation toolbar will make it easier for users to control Outlook with nothing but voice commands. The new feature is supposed to go live in Outlook for Mac sometime next year, but insiders will be the first ones to try it out, followed by the rollout to production devices at some point in 2021.
“Voice input is a growing part of our digital lives and can be a great way to simplify your workflow. A new dictation toolbar with voice commands for creating content with your voice is coming to Word and Outlook for Mac. In addition, to help you check spelling, correct grammar, and get writing style suggestions, we will enable Microsoft Editor in Word for Mac. We plan to make these updates available to customers with access to Microsoft 365 for Insiders in early 2021,” Microsoft explains.
And last but not least, Outlook for Mac is getting support for shared calendars, again with insiders to be the first to try it out sometime next year.
Overall, it’s pretty clear Microsoft is no longer just a Windows company, as it’s obvious already, this approach is certainly paying off. The adoption of certain Microsoft products has skyrocketed lately, and this happened not only on Windows but also on other platforms.
Microsoft Teams, for example, recorded a huge growth this year for obvious reasons, with Microsoft revealing a growth of 50 percent in just six months. There are 115 million daily active users on Microsoft Teams, and it goes without saying not all of them use Windows.
In the end, Microsoft becoming so committed to users on all platforms is definitely the right approach, especially because at the end of the day, the company’s long-term strategy no longer comes down to just a single product.