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Outlook for iOS and Android is getting emoji email reactions, voice commands, and more

Outlook for iOS and Android is getting emoji email reactions, voice commands, and more

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Outlook now has an iOS 14 calendar widget

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New Outlook iOS 14 widget.
New Outlook iOS 14 widget.
Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge

Microsoft is announcing a number of new features that are coming to Outlook mobile soon. These include emoji email reactions, voice commands, and the expansion of Cortana support.

Apple’s iOS 14 update arrived last week, and Microsoft is adding an Outlook calendar widget that will display upcoming meetings from multiple accounts on the home screen. Similar improvements are also coming to the watchOS 7 complications for Outlook, allowing Apple Watch owners to see the number of unread emails or a calendar complication that lists your free and busy status.

Outlook mobile for both iOS and Android is also getting updated with voice commands next month. The voice commands will support email authoring, calling, and scheduling for calendar appointments.

New Outlook complications for watchOS 7.
New Outlook complications for watchOS 7.

Microsoft is also expanding its Play My Emails feature in Outlook mobile to support Canada, Australia, India, and the UK soon. Previously exclusive to the US, Play My Emails uses Cortana to read out emails and even calendar invites when you’re driving, commuting, or cooking.

If you’re a fan of emoji reactions on social networks, then get ready for them to arrive in your Outlook mobile inbox, too. Microsoft is adding emoji reactions to Outlook “later this year.” You’ll be able to select from a variety of emoji to quickly respond to emails without having to clog up inboxes with additional messages.

Most of these new Outlook mobile additions are simply marked as coming soon or later this year, so expect to see them arrive over the coming months.