How you feel about being able to check your email from your wrist probably depends largely on how you feel about email in general. If you and email are on good terms, you’ll be glad to know that the latest version of Outlook for Android now supports Android Wear-based smartwatches.
This new version, which is currently making its way onto Google Play, lets you check notifications, read incoming messages from your Android Wear smartwatch, and either reply to them using canned replies or dictate your reply to the app.
Outlook for Android is a free download from the Google Play store, though as SlashGear notes, the Android Wear-compatible update may not show up for everyone just yet. If you don’t see it yet, wait a day or two.
Outlook for Android isn’t the only version of Microsoft’s mail client to support a smartwatch. Previously, the company released a version of Outlook for iOS that included support for the Apple Watch. The company also created a Translator app for iOS and Android that lets you use your smartwatch as a digital translation tool.
Why this matters: Microsoft has gradually been expanding its reach across platforms under CEO Satya Nadella - part of Nadella’s vision of providing productivity tools to more users, even if they don’t use Windows. And expanding that reach has led the company to dabble in smartwatch apps. It’s probably safe to say that we’ll see the company continue to explore the possibilities of smartwatches, even if Microsoft itself decides against creating its own full-fledged smartwatch (again).
Disclosure: The author of this article provides copywriting services to TechSoup, a nonprofit organization that works with Microsoft and many other technology companies to provide nonprofits with technology products and services. His role at TechSoup does not influence his work for this publication.
