Microsoft and Apple applications could be affected by the former’s latest activity. Funds should check if their key LPs are caught in the crossfire.
TL;DR: confirm that target accounts are reachable by email.
Microsoft started to disable Exchange Web Services (EWS) by default in Exchange Online at the start of October. Microsoft describes the rollout being ‘phased’ with a permanent shutdown planned for April 1 2027.
The implications of this can have repercussions outside of Microsoft’s products. Mail and Calendar apps on Apple Mac depend on EWS to sync Microsoft 365 work accounts, which users may find the lack of syncing confusing.
iPhones and iPads, which use a different protocol, are not affected. At the same time, organisations that keep EWS enabled or run on-premises Exchange are unaffected for now.
IT admins can re-enable EWS temporarily too, or move Mac users to a client that supports Microsoft’s Graph API – such as Outlook. Apple does say it is working with Microsoft to add Graph support in a future macOS 27 update, with news on this still outstanding. Watch this space!
So, what does this mean for fund marketers?
While this concerns IT migration rather than marketing, no doubt a huge slice of institutional professionals utilise Microsoft 365 and Apple Mail for work. And in instances where IT teams move staff to Outlooks, those readers shift between mail clients that render HTML differently, and handle image loading and tracking differently.
The shift’s effects are yet to be seen. But fund marketers can conduct a readiness audit before the permanent shutdown (which could affect important email campaigns).
Watch your own metrics for step changes
If open rates or rendering complaints from your high-value LP segments spike in the coming months, a mail client change could explain it. Compare recipients by domain, if your platform allows it.
Preview and test before the next ‘important send’
Quarterly letters or event invitations should be viewed and edited before they reach investors anyway, and especially now across Mac, Windows, Apple Mail and Gmail. It is also recommended practice to keep layouts clean and simple, and include a plain-text version.
Do not reply on a single calendar or sync path
If roadshows or investor days are planned for the future, include clear dates and times in the email text and a link to register; event invites might be missed if recipients do have syncing issues.
It may also be worth checking if all of your immediate key contacts are still reachable, while your CRM owner can flag any bounce or reply anomalies.
Before any effects do come to pass, there is no harm in ensuring your target LPs’ email data is up to scratch across email platforms and CRMs – a maintenance check essential for all email-focused fund marketers.
Source
MacRumors, “Microsoft 365 Work Accounts May Stop Syncing in Apple Mail”
