Alongside a slate of announcements made this morning, Microsoft has launched a new text-to-speech feature for Cortana in the Outlook app for iOS devices. With this feature, called "Play My Emails," the Outlook app uses Cortana's natural language interactions and AI to read out your latest emails.

cortana emails
Microsoft is aiming this feature at users who want to catch up on their inboxes while doing something else, like driving or working at their desks. Cortana starts by summarizing how many emails are new in the user's Focused Inbox in the last 24 hours, and if there have been any changes to their upcoming daily schedule, thanks to integration with Outlook's calendar.


Cortana also uses Microsoft Graph to identity the sender of each email in relationship to the user, so it's easier to know the context of the message without looking at the screen. Because of these abilities and more, Microsoft said that Play My Emails is more than just a text-to-speech update, but a way to have a natural conversation with Cortana.

Cortana synthesizes the information in the message header and meta data and marries it with the insights about you and information from apps and services that power Office 365. This provides a more meaningful and contextual readout.

The Play My Emails experience is like having a conversation with your personal assistant.

Play My Emails is launching today to customers in the United States for the Outlook app on iOS devices, and later it will launch on Android.

Top Rated Comments

1144557 Avatar
79 months ago
MS killing is here adding useful stuff to Outlook every few weeks. Making the broken iOS Mail app look really bad right now after months of no fixes somehow
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmh600cbr Avatar
79 months ago
Siri needs this with CarPlay
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThisisAdar Avatar
79 months ago
Microsoft taking swings at Google like Paquaio did against Mayweather. In the end us consumers win from this. ??‍♂️
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Peepo Avatar
79 months ago
No Canada ?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1144557 Avatar
79 months ago

What is broken in Mail? Please list 3 things.

"Play" My Emails is strange language. Why not "Read My Emails", "Review My Emails", or "Check My Email"?

Apple is moving slowly in some areas. Too slowly.
You clearly arent a newb, so try searching. Many threads on Macrumors like

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-13-native-mail-app.2205325/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-13-2-mail-app-freezing-after-search.2209344/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mail-rarely-pushing-to-iphone.2208101/


and even some in the Apple official forums too https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250795626

Hell just search the site for the word "mail" in the search box and see how many Maill app issues pop up

HUNDREDS of posts of issues in the above thread and general iOS 13 threads; Im not going to spend my time rattling them off but- no notifications for Exchange accounts, double sent mails entries showing for exchange, mail not updating until opening app.

Exchange and the stock Mail app has a host of known issues, see the chart someone in the above thread made https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ios-13-native-mail-app.2205325/page-2?post=27898725#post-27898725

HUGE usability bugs in general with the core functions of an email app not even nitpicking the small stuff like my the email functions (reply, forward, archive, ove) that were perfectly fine across the bottom bar over 12 OS versions are now buried in a submenu now with only delete and the bottons are right next to each other where one can accidentally delete an email https://www.cultofmac.com/661624/mail-app-trash-can-ios-13/

Denial isnt just a river in Egypt.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gplusplus Avatar
79 months ago
If only I could change the default email client on my $1,100.00 device.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
General Apps Messages Redux

Singapore Orders Changes to iMessage by December

Tuesday November 25, 2025 6:39 am PST by
Singapore has ordered Apple to block or filter messages on iMessage that impersonate government agencies, requiring the company to implement new anti-spoofing protections by December as part of efforts to curb rising online scams, the Straits Times reports. Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that it had issued an Implementation Directive to Apple under the Online Criminal Harms...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red Green

The 30+ Best Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 6:46 am PST by
Black Friday is finally here, and as always this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...