The new February 2015 Outlook Mobile apps for iPhone and iPad (iOS) or Android are an improved version of Microsoft's mobile email experience. They are also free to download!

They also represent a preview of where mobile email is going. For a quick visual overview of Microsoft's vision for mobile productivity and releases expected later this year, check out my Images of Microsoft Office for Windows 10 Mobile slide show.


New Features as of February 17, 2015

If you have not used Outlook Mobile apps in the past, these latest updates may induce you to start. They represent one of the strongest native email apps for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. 

Microsoft's blog describes new aspects of Outlook Mobile for iOS and Android, including:

• PIN Lock - Thanks to Exchange ActiveSync on your device, you can now add more security to your Outlook experience. For this to work, your device will need to have certain encryption standards on it as well, meaning this feature may or may not be available for your particular device. For more detail, refer to the blog post link just above.
• App Level Administrator Wipes - For organizations, it makes sense to be able to remotely wipe devices, which now happens by app for Outlook, which is important in case users will still have access to the phone and don't want the entire device wiped! This means Outlook email, calendar, contacts, documents, and cloud data will be removed, and more quickly than it has been in the past. This is particularly efficacious for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) organizations, where the company does not supply the smartphone or tablet, the user does.

• Syncing from IMAP Email Providers - Some providers such as Comcast.net are now more compatible with Outlook Mobile.
• Customization Settings for iOS - In the iOS app you can now also select Settings - Organize Mail by Thread to opt for seeing emails individually. 
• Customization Settings for Android - Users can now select Settings - Swipe Options to customize gestures (iOS already had this available).

How to Download the Free Outlook Mobile Apps for iOS or Android

If you have been using the old ones, you need to download these new updates, even if you just downloaded the new release right after it was announced in early February 2015 because more features were released just a week or so after.

Download Microsoft Outlook for iOS (iPhone and iPad) from the Apple App Store

Download Microsoft Outlook for Android from Google Play

 

Ready for more tools and ideas? You may also want to check out more About.com's Email Site, Free Microsoft Office Tools and Tips, or more of the Latest Software News, Gossip, Rumors, Updates, and Releases.