Microsoft Outlook, one of the best email clients on iOS (and which just turned 2), now supports add-ins. For those unfamiliar with the term, an “add-in” is an installed functionality that adds new functions or features to the main app. Add-ins are pretty common in Microsoft Office.
For a start, the latest Outlook for iOS supports first-party add-ins like Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Translator; third-party ones include Evernote, GIPHY, Nimble, Trello, and Smartsheet. Trello and Translator add-ins are also launching today for Outlook for Windows, Mac (in Insiders), and on the web. Outlook on Android will gain add-in functionality later.
Here’s Microsoft’s example on the usefulness of add-ins:
For example, imagine you are at the airport and receive an email from a new customer contact from Italy. With add-ins for Outlook, you can translate the email from Italian to your preferred language, review and update the customer’s CRM history and update your notes or project board - without leaving Outlook.
At the moment, there are two shortcomings for adds-ins for Outlook on iOS. One, add-ins are only available when reading email. But Microsoft did say add-in actions that work when composing or replying to an email will be added in the future. Two, to use add-ins, you need to be an Office 365 customer.
Source: Office Blogs.
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