Microsoft Send App Brings Chat-Style Email To Apple iPhone

It seems these days that Microsoft is giving more attention to competing platforms like iOS and Android than it does to its own Windows Phone (soon to be Windows 10 Mobile) devices. Joe Belfiore, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of the Operating Systems Group, even had to explain to Windows Phone users back in early January that it hadn’t abandoned its flock despite the fact that it gave iOS and Android users better versions of Office.

With that in mind, Microsoft has launched its new Send email app for the iPhone (Microsoft says that Send is “coming soon” to Android and Windows Phone). Send is the latest product to ship from Microsoft Garage and aims to make sending quick notes to co-workers and classmates a simple affair. The first thing to cross my mind when I first learned of Send was “Why not just use IM or send someone a text?”

Well, the Microsoft Outlook Team figures that there are specific usage scenarios where this isn’t always an optimum solution. “While tools like text messaging and IM are great for short messages, you often don’t have your co-worker’s cell phone number or an IM app on your work phone,” wrote the Outlook Team in a blog posting. “This is where Send comes in! Send gives you the simple, quick text message-like experience while allowing you to reach all co-workers and have all of your communications in Outlook for reference later.”

You won’t see all of your emails within the Send app, just the one that you initiated from within the app. And thanks to tight integration with Office 365 — in fact, the new Send app will only work with an Office 365 business or school account — Send scans your most recent and frequent contacts to make getting in touch with your colleagues a simple affair.

Send also supports short replies that are simply a swipe away like “On my way” or “I’ll get back to you.” And lest you worry about such a “laid back” app not being up to code with your company’s email conventions, the Outlook Team reassures that “All Send messages comply with your organization’s email compliance policies—they are treated like any other work email.”

The Send app is available today via the iOS App Store.