Microsoft is working on a new feature for Outlook called “Follow,” which is planned to be an additional choice along with the existing options of Accept, Tentative, and Decline when responding to meeting invitations. A similar feature has also been announced for Teams through its Roadmap.
Potential advantages of this feature include the ability for users to keep track of meetings they can’t attend in person without committing to the entire call, thus saving time by avoiding unnecessary in-person meetings and reducing distractions by not switching between different meetings and tabs, and also improving meeting engagement by remotely following and receiving summaries.
However, there are potential drawbacks to this feature. The quality of meeting summaries may vary based on how meetings are conducted and how well the summaries are generated. Users might also receive a large number of notifications if they choose to follow numerous meetings, and some users may even have privacy issues if their meeting attendance is being tracked.
The “Follow” feature is planned to be released in March 2024. Initially, it will be accessible to Outlook users on Windows desktop and web platforms, known as the “new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web.”
Basically, this feature is designed to improve flexibility and engagement options for Outlook users, especially those with crowded schedules and multiple meetings.