We’ve added several apps for Outlook: Bing Maps, Suggested Appointments, and Action Items. These apps are integrated with Outlook and Outlook Web App and extend the information and functionality of messages and calendar items.

Apps in Outlook attempt to anticipate your needs and automatically propose actions you might want to take by using the contents of the email message. For example, if an email message contains a street address, the Bing Maps app offers you a Bing tab with a quick link to a map and directions. Or, if a phrase in the email message suggests a possible action item, the Action Items app creates a suggested Task for your review. An offer to meet is suggested as an Appointment to be added to your calendar, thanks to the Suggested Appointments app.

Apps for Outlook aren’t dependent on the version of Exchange Server that you’re using. You won’t have to worry about breaking or losing any apps for Outlook that you have added when you upgrade Exchange servers or move to a new Exchange version.

Administrators can use the Exchange admin center (EAC) to manage the apps available to users in the organization. Users can then manage their apps. Administrators can also allow users to download apps from Office.com. For more information about the EAC, see Exchange Admin Center in Exchange 2013.

In addition, we encourage third-party developers to create additional apps for Outlook and then offer them at Office.com. To learn more, see Build Apps for Office for background information and Mail apps for Outlook for detailed information about building apps for Outlook.

• Now, users can link multiple entries for the same person and view the information in a single contact card. For example, if a user has two entries for Holly Holt in his Contacts folder, one entry copied from the organization’s address list and one entry that he added manually, he can link the two entries in his Contacts folder and view all the information in one place. Contact linking is done automatically, but the user can also manually link and unlink contacts.
  
  
• Connected accounts have been extended to include the ability to connect to a user’s LinkedIn account. After the link is established, Outlook Web App automatically adds the user’s LinkedIn contacts to the Contacts folder.
  
  

• Users can now view multiple calendars in a merged view. Entries from each calendar have their own color, making it easy for users to identify which calendar an entry belongs to. In the day view, users can view multiple calendars in a merged view or in separate columns.
  
  
• The month view now includes an agenda for the selected day, providing users with helpful information as they review the day's activities.
  
  
• In all calendar views, users can click an item to view a pop-up of the item's details. In addition to the details, controls are now available to accept or decline the item if it’s a meeting, to edit or delete if it’s an appointment, or, if a meeting item, to join the meeting if an online meeting link is included.
  
  

Outlook Web App emphasizes a streamlined user interface that also supports the use of touch, enhancing the mobile device experience with Exchange.

To experience all Outlook Web App features, use one of the operating system and browser combinations labeled “Best”, as noted in the tables below. Outlook Web App is supported by many operating system and web browser combinations, but not all Outlook Web App features are available in all combinations. Some browsers support only the light version of Outlook Web App.

Supported browsers on desktop and laptop computers

In the table below, the following definitions apply:

• Best:   All Outlook Web App features are supported.
  
  
• Good:   Most Outlook Web App features are supported.
  
  
• Light:   The browser displays the light version of Outlook Web App
  
  

Desktops and laptops: Outlook Web App features available by Windows operating system and browser combination

Web browser	Windows XP and Windows Server 2003	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	Windows 7	Windows 8
Internet Explorer 7	Light	Not available	Not available	Not available
Internet Explorer 8	Good	Good	Good	Not available
Internet Explorer 9	Not available	Best	Best	Not available
Internet Explorer 10 or later	Not available	Not available	Not available	Best – plus offline access
Firefox 17 or later	Good	Good	Best	Best
Safari 5 or later	Light	Light	Light	Light
Chrome 24 or later	Good – plus offline access	Good – plus offline access	Best – plus offline access	Best – plus offline access

Note:
In previous versions, Outlook Web App had a built-in spell checker. In Exchange Server 2013, Outlook Web App relies on the web browser for spell checking, which Internet Explorer prior to version 10 doesn’t provide.

Desktops and laptops: Outlook Web App features available by non-Windows operating system and browser combination

Web browser	Mac OX X v10.5	Mac OX X v10.6 and v10.7	Linux
Firefox 17 or later	Best	Best	Best
Safari 6 or later	Best – plus offline access	Best – plus offline access	Not available
Chrome 24 or later	Best – plus offline access	Best – plus offline access	Best – plus offline access

Note:
Operating system and browser combinations not listed display the light version of Outlook Web App.

Supported browsers for tablets and smartphones

The following Outlook Web App features are currently unavailable in Exchange 2013. Some of these features may be included in a future release.

• Access to shared email folders   Access to shared mail folders isn’t currently available in Exchange 2013.
  
  
• Distribution list moderation   The ability to moderate distribution lists from Microsoft Outlook Web App isn’t currently available in Exchange 2013.
  
  
• S/MIME   S/MIME isn’t currently supported in Exchange 2013.
  
  
• Reading pane at the bottom of the window   The option to display the reading pane at the bottom of the Outlook Web App window isn’t currently available in Exchange 2013.
  
  
• Reply to embedded email messages   The ability for users to reply to email messages sent as attachments isn’t currently available in Exchange 2013.