Readdle’s incredibly efficient (and free) email client, Spark for iPhone, has just gotten a whole lot more useful with full support for Microsoft Exchange accounts in the latest update in the App Store.
This was the main feature request from thousands of people who wanted to use Spark with Exchange in the workplace, developers tell me.
Even more exciting than that, the team has confirmed that they’re hard at work putting finishing touches on Spark for iPad, which should be released “soon”. In addition, a spokesperson for the company tells me via email that their next step will be “creating the best email client for Mac.”
Spark does Exchange
“Microsoft Exchange powers work email accounts for millions of people in the world,” a spokesperson told me. “Starting today, Spark supports Exchange Web Services (EWS).”
As a result, Spark users can now connect their Exchange accounts on their iPhone and start using Spark for both their personal and work emails. EWS protocol is available since the release of Microsoft Exchange SP1.
Spark on your iPad and Mac
“We are working on the iPad version and will release it soon,” Reader told me. “The next step will be creating the best email client for Mac.”
Spark has evolved significantly since its debut, with prior updates bringing enhancements like customizable quick replies, default From: account, support for email aliases and HTML signatures, new swipe options, moving emails between different email accounts and much, much more.
Why I fell in love with Spark
This is precisely the announcement I’ve been dying to see from Ukrainian developer Readdle ever since Spark for iPhone’s May 2015 debut in the App Store.
The gesture-driven app lets you triage your email with efficiency, responsiveness and speed that I think no other iOS email client can quite match. There’s a smart inbox which intelligently highlights important emails while tucking away your newsletters and notifications from social services.
The app has powerful search, it integrates with a variety of cloud-storage services and features a rich settings interface with various customization options, including adjusting the frequency of notifications.
As I wrote in my initial Spark review, this app improves your experience with every core aspect of email and will actually make you fall in love with your email again.
I used to be a big proponent of email apps such as Dropbox’s Mailbox, Microsoft’s Outlook and the excellent TL;DR, but Spark has been my go-to email client for the iPhone and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
And as soon as Spark for iPad and Spark for Mac hit, I’ll gladly stop using Apple Mail and those cumbersome desktop email clients for the Mac.
Availability
Spark requires an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 8.3 or later and includes a watchOS 2 app and a Glance to check important messages on your wrist, respond to emails with canned responses or dictation and more.