Microsoft successfully solved the Web browser problem on Windows by migrating EdgeHTML-based Edge to Chromium. The company is now taking a similar tack with the Outlook app and has started rolling out a new version of the email client for Windows 11 and Windows 10 through the Office Insider channel.
In a nutshell, Windows currently supports two desktop email clients: the preinstalled UWP-based mail app and the Outlook Win32 program bundled with Microsoft Office. Microsoft is working hard to maintain two versions of Outlook for Windows and other platforms.
Compared to the full version of the email client, the UWP version lacks a lot of features. According to sources, Microsoft has put UWP applications into “maintenance mode”, which means you no longer need to count on Microsoft to bring big functional improvements to older applications.
New email client experience for Windows 11
The new Outlook application is based on Chromium’s Edge WebView, which is simply a web shell. However, Outlook is a web application so well designed that most users won’t even notice it’s a web application.
It has all the features you’d expect from a modern application, including the ability to locate documents using @files and @documents. This is similar to the existing feature that lets you @mention someone to add them to an email.
Example: When Outlook thinks you’ve missed a message that’s important to you, it will remind you of another new feature.
In addition, it also integrates a new calendar function, although this is a bit of a backstabbing calendar application, it can be said that they have the same basic functions. In this interface, you can organize and maintain your important things and manage them in one view.
Interestingly, Microsoft seems to be working on a new Mica material design for Outlook as well. As shown above, you can call up the Mica-style Outlook interface by modifying the registry.
Of course, Microsoft may also use Fluent Design’s Acrylic material. Microsoft Edge’s right-click menu and the main menu already support Acrylic-like transparent/translucent effects.
In addition to the new design, Microsoft has added a “My Day” feature to the app to help you stay connected to important topics while you work. Plus, you can easily drag and drop messages as tasks into your to-do list, or better manage tasks in your calendar.
It’s worth noting that other UI improvements to the new Outlook app are expected later this year, and Microsoft can add new features for you via server-side updates, so stay tuned.