I think it’s remarkable to see how technology impacts peoples’ lives and behaviors. According to a recent comprehensive study by Litmus, mobile email made up just 8% of email opens in 2011. But here we are in 2015, a mere 4 years later and now 53% of emails opened are on mobile devices. A 500% increase in 4 years is incredible!
Chances are, you and I are among those opening their email first on your mobile device. Not always, but enough that it’s imperative the tools for reading, quick response, searching and integration with your calendar is tightly coupled. I once had the iOS Mail, iOS Calendar and the Gmail app configured and would use just about all of them, depending on what I needed to do. But that was then and this is now.
In December 2014, Microsoft acquired Acompli and less than 2 months later, Microsoft released Outlook for iOS. I have to admit, when I first heard of Microsoft creating a Mail killer app, I was skeptical… but I had to try and I when I did, I was pleasantly surprised!
- No email app today would be usable without the ability to have a unified inbox for multiple email accounts. Check.
- Most people I know use their inbox similar to a check list. But while mobile, those emails just get in the way. Enter “Quick Filter” for unread only emails. Check.
- Ever wish you could easily archive emails that are from retail stores that you don’t look at often but don’t want to unsubscribe in the case something good is sent to you? Swipe your finger on an email to the left archive. Check.
- Easily send attachments from recently received emails? Check.
- How about files from Google Drive or Dropbox? Check and check.
- Wouldn’t it be nice if someone who shares a calendar with you is easily visible and color coded with your calendar. Also check.
Hello Outlook for iOS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cBfywn_CnU