Microsoft is testing Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Calendar integration with its Outlook webmail client, with the service being rolled out to a select group of users. According to reports, this will be released for all Outlook.com users eventually, although there has been no official confirmation on when this will be.
Users who have been able to access the new features have noted that the experience looks quite similar to the iOS and Android versions of Outlook. that said, it seems as though the integration is still in its early stages, with users claiming that there are a variety of restrictions in place. For example, they’ve noted that only one Gmail account can be used at a time.
You can now add your gmail account on https://t.co/qrV9WCmJyQ ! pic.twitter.com/KYvZe6wx7q
— Florian B (@flobo09) November 20, 2019
Alongside this, switching between either Gmail or Outlook refreshes the entire page. It’s also been noted that the two inboxes are still kept separate, although they should appear side by side. Google Drive integration seems quite similar to how it’s already used, with the service being able to share documents across both email providers quite easily.
It’s currently unclear as to how many Outlook web client users have access to this new Google suite integration and when the service will be widespread released. Neither Microsoft or Google have released an official statement on the matter yet. This could be an indication that the integration is still in its early stages.
Should it see a full release, then it may be best suited for people who have a personal Outlook account but use Google suite for work.