Everyone Seems To Love The New Outlook App For Android And iOS By Microsoft

The release of a new Outlook app for iOS and Android has managed to win some accolades for Microsoft. According to some, this could be a sign Microsoft mobile strategy is finally getting on track, while some believe it's the best pick for reading Gmail on an iPhone.

The new app is not an original Microsoft product but an outcome of an acquisition made by Microsoft of mobile developer Accompli.

The new outlook is in preview mode but is drawing praise nonetheless. Microsoft noted once it gets enough feedback and makes the necessary tweaks it will deem it a final version. Here is a roundup of the reviews of the new Outlook app.

"The Outlook app has all the handy tools I liked so much about the original Acompli app, most notably tight integration with your calendar. Right from the email compose window, you can view your calendar and suggest a meeting time to a contact by tapping on an available time slot in your schedule. Freedom is not having to toggle back and forth between your phone's email and calendar apps," writes WSJ.

According to MacWorld, Microsoft is making a stronger case to convince "everyone". "With its own Outlook app, Microsoft now makes a stronger case to convince businesses, schools, or individuals to go with Office instead of Google Apps as their core productivity suite. With Outlook and Office for Android the company now has its core apps on the web with Office online, the desktop, and the dominant mobile platforms."

Den Kedmey of Time was impressed by the integration of the calendar inside the app. "What sets the app apart is a built-in calendar, enabling the user to schedule an appointment within the app, rather than laboriously copy and paste event details in a second, calendar app," he wrote.

The Verge called it the best Gmail app for the iPhone.