It has been an exciting year for Microsoft's Outlook. Ever since the company launched Outlook apps for iPhones and Android devices last January, it has been a solid offering in both major platforms as it could stand as either a replacement to the default e-mail app or a welcomed addition nonetheless. And now that it's ready to further accelerate the momentum, Outlook is getting another revamp with the help of none other than the Sunrise Team.
Microsoft's Outlook team has recently announced that about 30 million people actively use the app on their mobile devices, with one in five of the total people connecting more than one account. By the numbers, Outlook generates 1.2 billion sessions per month, greatly showing that the app itself, and the communication through e-mails are still essentials in today's world considering that instant messaging is already existing.
The company wants to capitalize on that success and asks its new friends from Sunrise for their design expertise and fresh thinking in order to revamp Outlook on both iOS and Android platforms. The Outlook app for iOS update will give a cleaner, more refined interface that puts the user's email, calendar, people and files front and center. The company wants to improve even the smallest, yet important details that would greatly contribute to the Outlook app to make one of the best, most powerful email apps on the platform. The new user-interface has been simply improved, it has been tweaked to improve the performance in processing information. Navigation around the app is also now better to make it as efficient as possible.
On the other hand, Outlook on Android has also been revamped to make it feel right at home with the platform. It deeply leverages Google's Material Design along with its common interface elements to give its users an easier and a more familiar experience. It features a consistent design to make it feel more cohesive - the team made redesigns from the header to composition. Contact images are seen on the left of emails to display the sender quickly. New icons now give a clear distinction of read and unread emails, even attachments and invitations have also received the treatment.
The acquisition of Sunrise has played a huge part in the Outlook redesign, as it combines the company's design expertise and with that of Microsoft in email and calendar. The new Outlook app is set to provide more productivity with its easier management and rich calendar experiences, coupled with an engaging and efficient redesign.
