Email is one of the oldest digital communications tools, but more and more it is being viewed on mobile devices. At Ignite 2018, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced a new set of features for Outlook which will simplify the deployment on mobile while securing email communications.
Outlook Mobile App Updates
In addition to email, Outlook for Android and iOS will have contacts, files, calendar events, online messaging and more. These features are key to the way businesses communicate today with their workforce.
For small businesses, it means features with more powerful admin controls to enforce policies and actions on mobile devices. This includes enterprise-grade security to protect your email communications.
Sensitivity Labels
Administrators and users can apply sensitivity labels to emails to protect the content. Depending on the type of communications, you can set protection policies to each label.
Labels such as “General” or “Company Confidential” can be specified to ensure only designated recipients can view and respond to the email.
Microsoft said this feature will roll out to commercial Outlook mobile customers by the end of the year.
Simplified Deployment
A new app configuration capability for Outlook mobile will make it much easier for businesses to set up a secure mobile email and calendar solution.
If you are providing the mobile devices for your employees, the new admin controls allow you to control the type of accounts which can be added on company enrolled devices.
By blocking personal email accounts on company devices, you lower the risks of email associated attacks. This is especially useful for small businesses in the healthcare and financial industries who have to abide by strict regulatory compliance.
More Upcoming Features
In the coming months, administrators will have remote customization capability. They will be able to turn the syncing or saving of contacts and Touch ID on or off, as well as block external images. This is part of the drive to secure company resources by limiting bad connections and downloading potentially harmful content.
Admins will also be able to set up the configuration faster for modern authentication capable accounts. According to Microsoft, this will ensure employees are using the right set up for their account to start using Outlook on their mobile device quickly.
For users, Microsoft Teams will be part of the Outlook mobile ecosystem. When it becomes available, they can add an online Teams Meeting option to their calendar events and join a Teams Meeting from Outlook.
Office Lens, an AI document scanning application, will also be included with Outlook mobile. The app uses intelligent technology for photos, documents, and whiteboard images. When it comes to business cards, it takes the scanned image and stores the contact information in Outlook automatically.
What is Available Now?
Microsoft has announced some useful features for Outlook mobile, which will be available in the coming weeks and months.
As to what is available right now, commercial customers can start using the improvements made to calendar sharing. Users can now search for their co-workers, conference rooms, and mailboxes as well as adding or viewing shared calendars within Outlook mobile.
Image: Microsoft