Microsoft has disclosed its blueprint for a revamped Outlook iteration, which is intended to incrementally supplant the classic Windows Mail and Calendar applications by 2024, consequently usurping the well-established Outlook desktop application.
The latest enhancement from Microsoft has added the “classic” label to the desktop variation of Outlook, aiming to differentiate it from its modern counterpart. In the past, the older incarnation was merely known as Outlook.
An image providing a visual explanation of the previous setup is presented below:
For those not up-to-date with the latest communications from Microsoft, encountering two separate Outlook applications on their systems might result in bewilderment.
The purpose of rebranding is evident: Microsoft is advocating for a transition from the well-known desktop Outlook, a mainstay among email clients, to their more recent proposition. Although the “classic” version will remain functional until at least 2029, its existence is finite.
Microsoft is casting its lot with the novel Outlook, envisioning it as the subsequent evolution in email organization. This viewpoint persists despite some resistance from certain users due to the absence of features in the new Outlook that were available in the classic version. Over time, it is foreseen that Microsoft will omit the “new” label, signifying a complete transition.
In the case of the Mail and Calendar apps, as per information from Dr. Windows, beginning in July, they will be designated as read-only. This barres users from composing or procuring emails using these platforms.
This methodology exemplifies Microsoft’s promise to steer its clientele towards the modern Outlook. Nonetheless, the success of this method remains in question, particularly in light of other available email clients competing for attention, free alternatives like Thunderbird, and the reliable classic Outlook.
Microsoft’s Puzzling Updates: A Brief Account
The tech giant is notorious for rolling out upgrades that disconcert its patrons. For example, confusion arose with Microsoft Teams when users were unsure whether opening an invite would trigger the consumer version or the enterprise edition, due to identical naming and iconography.
Additionally, Microsoft launched an updated OneNote app that functions parallel to the older one, leading to further user confusion. OneNote 2016 and OneNote for Windows 10 bore similar icons which added to the complexity, especially after Microsoft decided to rechristen OneNote 2016 as simply OneNote.
Image Source: Robert Way / Shutterstock
