Microsoft will include Outlook in its next version of Microsoft Office for Mac. Outlook will replace Entourage for Mac, the current e-mail application used by Mac users.
The software giant is releasing Outlook for Mac in its next version as a way to develop the Mac’s product suite. The new version is slated to be released in time for the 2010 holiday season.
Microsoft developed Outlook for Mac in response to requests from enterprise users. The application is expected to enable individuals to be more productive across various platforms.
“It is an exciting time for the MacBU with updates to our current products and the first public announcement about the next version of Office for Mac,” said Eric Wilfrid, general manager of Microsoft’s Mac Business Unit. “Outlook for Mac will bring features our customers have long requested — such as information rights management — that make working across platforms even easier. I think people will see that this move to Outlook for Mac is more than just a name change.”
Included in Outlook for Mac are three new features — a new database, information rights management, and Cocoa.
Outlook’s new under-the-hood, high-speed file-based database has support for backing up files with Time Machine and Spotlight Search. Information rights management protects sensitive content from users who do not have permission to access that content. Cocoa gives users better integration with Mac OS X.
Microsoft also released an update to the current version of Entourage on Thursday. Entourage 2008 for Mac Web Services Edition includes improved performance and allows users to sync tasks, notes and categories.
“One of the problems with using a Mac on corporate networks is Exchange support,” said Michael Silver, a Gartner analyst. “Entourage supported Exchange, but its features are sub-par. Outlook 2007 is much better.”
With Apple offering Exchange support in…