Microsoft has accidently revealed their plans to release a new chat app for iPhone called Flow. Flow allows users to have “rapid email conversations”. The service will be a part of Outlook, but it will focus on quick communication with “no subject lines, salutations, or signatures”.
Microsoft Flow sounds a lot like any other instant messaging service, but the way in which it will tie into Outlook will make it unique. Flow conversations will appear in your inbox alongside the rest of your email, allowing you to use either application to continue your conversations. While inside the Flow app, you will only see Flow conversations and their replies, not your whole inbox.
Use Flow with anyone, it’s email: Reach anyone with an email address and all conversations for you and others are also in Outlook. Together, you can use Flow and Outlook interchangeably to participate in the same conversations.
Fast, fluid, natural conversations: No subject lines, salutations, or signatures. Flow is designed for fast, light-weight conversations in real time.
Focus on what’s important: Only conversations started in Flow and their replies show up in Flow, not your whole inbox. Focus on your most important person-to-person conversations without the noise.
Flow would be to Outlook as Qik is to Skype and gives users a more casual way to communicate with the people who are closest to them, such as friends and relatives. It will also give Microsoft an entry point into the increasingly crowded chat app market.
Microsoft has not made Flow official yet, but it did publish a description of the app on a public download page marked “Microsoft Confidential”. Twitter user @h0x0d managed to grab a screenshot before Microsoft removed the page.
https://twitter.com/h0x0d/status/600728334801055744/
The interesting part is that, Microsoft intention to bring Flow to iPhone first, instead of Windows mobile. It is still unclear when Flow will be available and whether it will eventually support other platforms. We will update as soon as more information is available.
