New Outlook set for GA despite missing some key features

The new Microsoft Outlook will hit General Availability on August 1, and Microsoft is not backing down on the move away from COM (Component Object Model) add-ins.

The latest milestone has been hit on Microsoft’s road to switch users to the world of New Outlook. The general availability date was published in the Microsoft 365 message center alongside an assurance that existing “classic” Outlook for Windows users would not be affected and the new Outlook was still an “opt-in” experience. For the time being, at least.

The next stage will be “opt-out,” where the new Outlook will be the default experience, and users will have the option to go back to the old version. Microsoft has stated that it will provide at least 12 months’ notice before moving to that stage, so classic lovers have at least a year.

However, some pretty large chunks of functionality are still missing from the next version, and Microsoft has acknowledged that feature development is ongoing.

One pain point that won’t be resolved is support for COM add-ins. COM add-ins have long been a favorite for enterprises needing to add some Outlook functionality into a line-of-business application. However, support for COM is not coming to the next Outlook iteration, and Microsoft shows no sign of changing course. Users are instead being directed to Web add-ins (see sidebar).

Directions on Microsoft analyst Mary Jo Foley noted other missing features.

Foley said, “A major trouble spot is Exchange Server: Microsoft has not announced any plans to support it with new Outlook. Unless Microsoft relents (which is unlikely), on-premises and third-party hosters will not be able to host Exchange with the latest client.

“Additionally, some key, basic features aren’t slated to arrive until after GA. The initial version of PST support in the new Outlook for Windows isn’t slated to start rolling out until March 2025, according to Microsoft’s M365 Roadmap. Support for S/MIME is slated to start rolling out in September 2024.”

At this stage, the general availability date is more for planning purposes than anything else. Directions on Microsoft analyst Rob Helm said, “GA’s only direct impact on IT managers is that you can get support for new Outlook.”

He added: “However, we project new Outlook will permanently displace classic Outlook from Microsoft 365 Office suites in as little as 24 months after GA. So treat GA as a reminder: Get new Outlook rollout into your technology roadmaps and budgets.” ®