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The clock is ticking for users of the popular and highly-regarded Wunderlist app.
Microsoft on April 19 released a preview version of To-Do, a task management app inspired by Wunderlist, for iOS, Android, Windows and the web. The company acquired 6Wunderkinder, the German makers of the popular Wunderlist app, in 2015. Microsoft reportedly paid between $100 million and $200 million for the startup and its technology.
Now, nearly two years later, Microsoft is getting ready to pull the plug on the app that started it all.
“In the coming months, we’ll bring more of the favorite elements of Wunderlist into the To-Do experience, adding features such as list sharing, apps for Mac, iPad and Android tablet, as well as additional integrations with other Microsoft services,” Ori Artman, general manager of Microsoft To-Do, in a blog post. “Once we are confident that we have incorporated the best of Wunderlist into To-Do, we will retire Wunderlist.”
Although the app’s branding may change, the team behind Wunderlist will continue its work on To-Do with an eye toward making it more “intuitive and personal,” he assured.
Microsoft may have its work cut out.
As of this writing, To-Do has a two-star rating out of a possible five stars in the Apple App Store out of just over 100 ratings but it is faring better on the Google Play store with a 3.7-star rating with more than 1,100 ratings.
By comparison, Wunderlist currently carries a 4.5-star rating in both the Apple App Store and Google Play app marketplace. According to statistics collected by Google, the app has been installed between five million and 10 million times, and has attracted over 329,000 pieces of feedback. So far, To-Do has been installed between 100,000 and 500,000 times on Android devices, according to Google Play’s figures.
In the meantime, users who make the switch can try out a new Office 365 integration, enabling them to synchronize and keep track of their Outlook Tasks. To help users fill up their lists, an Intelligent Suggestions feature uses a smart algorithm to suggest tasks or chores with looming deadlines and other items that may require attention.
Task organization features include color-coded lists and recurring due date management. The app also offers some note-taking functionality and customizable themes. On iOS, To-Do supports 3D touch, allowing users to quickly create a new list item, view the day’s tasks or search with a hard press of the app’s icon on the home screen.
Alleviating the concerns of security-conscious IT administrators, Artman added that all data is encrypted both in transit and at rest as it makes its way to and from Microsoft’s cloud data centers. After a delay and some technical difficulties, the option to switch on the To-Do app is now available in the Office 365 admin center for commercial customers that wish to distribute it to their work forces.