Microsoft to Replace Outlook for Mac With New Universal Client

Microsoft is planning to replace Outlook for Mac with a new web-based universal Outlook client, according to Windows Central.

Months after announcing a complete redesign of Outlook for Mac, Microsoft is reportedly intending to scrap its current Mac app and replace it with a new client based on the Outlook web app.

Codenamed "Monarch," the project is Microsoft's attempt to build a single Outlook client across Windows, Mac, and the web. The new client will also replace the default Mail and Calendar apps on Windows 10 and unify Microsoft's entire selection of Outlook apps.

Project Monarch is said to be based on the pre-existing Outlook web app, offering the best indication of how the replacement app will look and function when it is released. While there will apparently be some native OS integrations for the likes of offline storage and notifications, the overall goal is to remain as universal as possible across platforms.

The change allows Microsoft to use the same codebase for apps on all devices, helping it to streamline development. For users, the new single client would be smaller in size and offer the same user experience across all devices.

Microsoft will reportedly begin to preview its new Outlook client toward the end of 2021, and plans to replace the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows 10 in 2022. Outlook for Mac will presumably be deprecated at some point during this timeframe.