Sun rises over Outlook as Microsoft delivers a major calendar update on iOS and Android

Microsoft has delivered a major update to its Outlook app on iOS and Android, bringing a range of fresh features. The update drives the final nail into the coffin for the Sunrise Calendar app, which Microsoft acquired in 2015, and originally planned to kill off last month.

Among the new features added to Outlook today is one called Interesting Calendars. For example, you can add a calendar for your favorite sports team to help keep track of its next game, but other options such as calendars for TV shows will also be added in the future.

Interesting Calendars are available now for Outlook users on iOS who have an Office 365 email address. Those on Android, and users who with an Outlook.com email address will get access to the feature later this year, and plans are also in the works to extend availability to users of Gmail and other email providers.

Microsoft has added another feature, which Sunrise users will be familiar with. If you type in 'coffee', 'meeting', 'dinner' or other keywords when adding an appointment to your calendar, the app will automatically add a relevant icon to the event.

Other features include:

• Maps integration: When you add an event, you can also search for the venue at which it will take place, to include location details and directions to get there on the day.
• Setting date and time: A further example of Sunrise integration comes in the improvements Microsoft has made to setting the date and time for an appointment, with a "simpler, more intuitive way" to do so. This is available now on iOS, and "coming soon" to Android.
• Recurring events: You can now edit the time, venue or attendees for recurring events on your device, or even delete an event entirely. The app will confirm if any changes you make should be applied to a single instance, or to all events in the series.
• Skype for Business: When adding an appointment in your Office 365 calendar, you now have the option to schedule a Skype for Business meeting too.

Microsoft says that further improvements are on the way to ensure that it provides "the best calendar experience on iOS and Android". The company is also encouraging Outlook users to make suggestions for future improvements via Settings > Suggest a Feature in the app.

Source: Office Blogs (Microsoft)