New Outlook app for Windows 10 currently in the works

Jan 4, 2021 16:49 GMT  ·  By

After Microsoft solved the browser issue by migrating Microsoft Edge to the Chromium engine, the software giant is now reportedly planning to deal with another shortcoming of its desktop operating system.

Windows 10 will soon get a new Outlook app for Windows 10, and this time, it’d be based on Outlook on the web. The report comes from WindowsCentral, which says a preview version of the new app would go live later this year for insiders, and then the public launch could happen in 2022.

Microsoft currently offers two different desktop email clients for Windows 10 users, namely the Mail app that comes pre-loaded with the OS and the Outlook app that’s part of the Office productivity suite.

But on the other hand, it’s not a secret the default mail app still leaves a lot to be desired, despite not necessarily lacking too many features as compared to the full version of Outlook.

Mail app in maintenance mode

At this point, however, Microsoft has reportedly moved the Mail app to maintenance mode, which means you shouldn’t expect any massive improvements anytime soon. While UI improvements for the Mail app are still expected later this year, the feature lineup would remain pretty much unchanged, as the focus has now switched to this new mail client based on Outlook on the web. The app is codenamed Project Monarch, and the goal for Microsoft is to offer a unified experience across all platforms, including both Windows and non-Windows operating systems.

On Windows 10, however, the Outlook app would come with new capabilities, including lower resource usage and additional capabilities such as offline storage. This makes sense for an email app, especially as Windows currently lacks a powerful client that can serve both consumers and businesses in search of an advanced app to be used within company networks.