LinkedIn's new Windows app integrates directly with Windows 10
Microsoft's LinkedIn division has built a new Windows 10 desktop version of the LinkedIn app, which it's rolling out this month.
The app, which will be available in the Windows Store by the end of July for all, is for PCs and tablets only, not Windows Phones. Microsoft will be dropping the Windows Phone version of the LinkedIn app and is advising those affected to use its mobile site, instead.
The LinkedIn Windows 10 app is basically the web version in a wrapper; though it does take advantage of some Windows 10 features, it's not a full Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, say those who've seen it. (It's not yet showing up for me in the Windows Store.)
Late last year, when Microsoft's acquisition of LinkedIn was finalized, CEO Satya Nadella said making available LinkedIn notifications in the Windows 10 Action Center would be one of the company's first priorities. This new app delivers on that promise.
From LinkedIn's July 17 blog post announcing the coming Windows 10 version of its app:
"With Windows 10 Action Center, LinkedIn for Windows 10 delivers real-time professional updates, including new messages, insights on who's viewed your profile, trending news in your industry and other timely highlights on your professional network."
Users will be able to manage which apps they'd like (and not like) to get in the Action Center directly from the Notifications tab inside the app, according to LinkedIn's blog post.
Microsoft crossed another to-do item off its LinkedIn integration list last week by making generally available its new Relationship Sales offering, which is a combination of LinkedIn's Sales Navigator and Dynamics 365 for Sales. It has a number of other Dynamics 365-LinkedIn integrations in the works, as well.
Microsoft has yet to tie LinkedIn identity and network information into Outlook and Office; push more Sponsored Content across various Microsoft properties; make LinkedIn Learning (including Lynda.com assets) available across Office 365 and Windows; or develop a business news desk across the content ecosystem and MSN.com -- all of which also were on Nadella's original LinkedIn integration to-do list.