Why is the "play my emails" feature in outlook being retired in June 2024? I use it for 2 hours everyday, and it makes me much more efficient.

Question

Why is the "play my emails" feature in outlook being retired in June 2024? I use it for 2 hours everyday, and it makes me much more efficient. Will it be replaced by another feature that reads my emails within Microsoft outlook?

Answer 1

Big deal. I can already dictate on my Windows computer across a multiple of options. Not being able to have emails dictated to me via outlook mobile in my car is a HUGE inconvenience and makes outlook pretty much useless to me.

Answer 2

I also use Play my Emails feature for 1 to 2 hours everyday. This feature came as a rescue for me 1.5 years ago when I was struggling to cope up with reading my emails. I was badly looking for a solution to cope up with my emails. I went for counselling, advise on how people are doing it for several months. I tried blocking my calendar to just read my emails but somehow I was not disciplined enough to stick to that blocked time for reading emails as I would be working on other urgent tasks during that time. When I had exhausted all my options, Play My Emails came as a Savior for me. With this one feature, my overall professional life changed as I was able to be on top of what people wanted me to know or what people are asking me. Earlier to this, I used to live a life of fear thinking someone has asked me to do something or asked me to answer something and I am talking to them without even knowing that and used to feel guilty. I used to browse through emails that I feel important and just barely survive. After all the filtering and moving to separate folders, I am usually left with 100 to 200 emails every day that I need to read to find out those 10-20 emails that I need to respond. Since I wouldn’t be reading those 100-200 emails, I would tend to miss some of  those 10-20 important emails which will cause an impact. With Play My Emails feature, I was able to listen to my emails as part of my routine starting with when I am brushing my teeth, morning routine, shaving, doing yoga, when eating by myself, when exercising, driving, while climbing steps and the list goes on. This really helped me to stay on top of my emails and I started feeling very confident at my job. No more guilt, no more fear. I was able to shine to my fullest potential with just this one feature. I was shocked to hear that the feature is being retired. It's ironical I am writing this "review" about this feature when it's going to rest in peace. I hope and feel I am able to cope up with my professional career without this feature. Though alternative options are being proposed in Windows 11, it's not my decision to go to a new OS as it's controlled by IT department at my work. Even if that happens, I assume it will be only in laptop and it's not going to be the same as listening my emails on my Android phone. It would be of great help if the feature continues to live and not get retired. I am having my fingers crossed.

• Venkat

Answer 3

I use the Play My Emails feature on my Outlook Mobile EVERYDAY and it has helped me so much in being efficient and staying on top of things. I listen to it on my commute to work and when I walk in, I know what to expect, what issues to tackle first. I am very disappointed that this feature is being retired without a backup plan for the Outlook Mobile. Also for those of us that are using this feature for work, majority of us don't have a say in what OS system we use / upgrade to as it is determined by the corporate IT group. I understand the push for using more AI features going forward but it would be great if things like this can be considered when a great feature gets retired....

Answer 4

I use the "play my email" feature on the iPhone. It is valuable during long commutes to and from the office. It is great that it is getting replaced with another feature in Windows 11. But, is there going to be a similar feature in Outlook mobile?

Answer 5

Will the new feature be available via mobile?