Microsoft has been rumored to have been developing One Outlook for some time, but a new leak suggests we’re closer than ever to finally getting our hands on the all-in-one email client.
The leak was spotted by Temmie on Telegram and then posted on Twitter by @Tom Warren and it looks very similar to the current Outlook Web Service, except for the built-in window controls.
For the uninitiated, One Outlook (formerly codenamed “Project Monarch”) will see Windows 11 applications such as Outlook, Calendar and Contacts consolidated into a single app that works on PC, Mac and Web to replace existing Outlook clients for desktops, including Outlook Web, Outlook (Win32) for Windows, Outlook for Mac, and Mail and Calendar on Windows 10.
This isn’t actually the first time One Outlook has leaked. A version of the app appeared last year, but it wasn’t accessible to anyone working outside of Microsoft, so this is the first version we’ve seen that works on work and education accounts.
Here’s how One Outlook settings, people, new mail and calendar page # WINdows11 #FluentDesign #OneOutlook pic.twitter.com/mCO9MModgJMay 6, 2022
Unfortunately, the new app does not seem to work on personal Outlook accounts, although those with access to an education or work account can give a twist to the beta version of One Outlook (clicking this link will download the installation file of the ‘installation).
Microsoft has yet to announce when One Outlook will be officially released to the public, but this leak at least indicates that we may not have that long to wait. Initial speculation predicted that the app would be made available to Windows Insider around April 2022 and then ready for a full release in the third quarter of this year, so while no official release date has been provided, it would appear that things are still on track.
Analysis: Microsoft has something compelling to do
A unified system for Outlook applications sure makes sense, especially with so many people still using the old Windows 10 operating system, but that doesn’t mean everyone else is happy with it.
Personally I’ve always hated using the built-in Mail app because of its clunky design and I’m certainly not alone, but there’s more to an email client than style.
While having everything in one place and with a consistent design could make life easier for those who use Outlook on a regular basis, right now there are numerous comments on social media regarding memory consumption, as well as the fact that the service is web-based. rather than built into the system which could cause problems for users with slow internet or bad connections.
Windows 11 has also been criticized for its reliance on web apps causing slow performance and high RAM usage. Unfortunately for those who rely on the current Mail application on Windows 10 or Windows 11, this may be phased out in the months following the full release of One Outlook, although I hope it remains a built-in option on the system.
Microsoft previously said that both the classic and the new One Outlook app will be available at the same time to give users the ability to manage their switching, and this definitely suggests that the two may not coexist forever.
With Microsoft relying so heavily on web apps for Windows 11, the operating system makes less powerful devices seem like something more like a bloated Chromebook than a switch from Windows 10. With any luck, Microsoft remembers to start giving some love to its native apps rather than going all-in on web-based services.
Through Windows Central