Exciting New Features & New Plans!



The release of a new feature can be a reason for an exciting announcement email. From software companies (SaaS) all the way to gaming companies, improving your offer in any sort of way calls for communication with your fans and/or users. Example for New Feature Release Announcement email. The 10 most exciting new iPhone 12 features Chris Smith. Experts blame Covid-19 for excess U.S. Man plans to plead guilty to deaths of 36 partygoers in fire. 17 Exciting New Features in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. By Jesse Hollington. 13 Min Read Published: Jun 22nd, 2020. As expected, Apple took the wraps off iOS 14 (and iPadOS 14) during. So let’s dig in. Here are 12 of the most exciting new features coming to iOS 14. Apple isn’t a complete stranger to the idea, but the company has traditionally played it quite differently when it comes to implementing compared to the likes of Android and, yes, even Microsoft’s defunct Windows Phone/Mobile.

Perhaps the most cited reason for not using Java for development is that it’s too verbose. Developers complain that there’s too much boilerplate, and that no new features for Java developers have been released in a long time. The idea that Java is not growing and changing is flatly false. Although it’s true that other languages built on the JVM have gained significant traction, especially Kotlin, Java is certainly fighting back. These new Java features are coming… and fast.

Since Oracle has split JDK into a Commercial Oracle JDK and OpenJDK, the development and release cycle for the JDK has increased at an alarming rate. On OpenJDK’s website, you can see the last 5 versions of the OpenJDK have all been released since 2018. The first 9 versions of Java SE were released over the course of 18 years.

Project Amber

The goal of Project Amber is to add productivity-oriented features to the Java language. Project Amber is taking huge steps forward in the developer experience in Java. As someone with a habit of furtively eyeing other languages, I felt a sense of relief and excitement knowing the direction OpenJDK was taking Java. Here are the main goals of project Amber, per the OpenJDK Website.

Delivered:

  1. JEP 286 Local-Variable Type Inference (var) (JDK 10)
  2. JEP 323 Local-Variable Syntax for Lambda Parameters (JDK 11)
  3. JEP 361 Switch Expressions (JDK 14)

Currently in progress:

  1. JEP 360 Sealed Types (Preview)
  2. JEP 359 Records (Second preview)
  3. JEP 368 Text Blocks (Second Preview)
  4. JEP 375 Pattern Matching for instanceof (Second Preview)

Quite a few features, and each and every one represents a significant change to the way you will write Java code in the future.

The var Keyword (JDK 10)

The var keyword is a new way to declare variables using type inference. var allows you to declare a variable without specifying it’s type. In Java, this goes against the grain of always having to define the type of a variable. There is some dissent among professionals if var should be embraced or avoided due to conventional Java’s insistence on type specification.

In the right environment, I think a style guide which includes the use of var, where appropriate, would allow for significant readability improvements. The var keyword performs best in small, self-explanatory methods where types can be omitted without losing clarity of what a variable is.

View this gist on GitHub
Declaring variables with var

OpenJDK provides principles and Style Guidelines to help you determine when to use var:

  1. Reading code is more important than writing code.
  2. Code should be clear from local reasoning.
  3. Code readability shouldn’t depend on IDEs.
  4. Explicit types are a tradeoff.

If your code is aligned with these principles when var is used, then you can safely use it. If not, you should default back to explicitly typing your variables. Keep in mind that var is only available for local variables.

JEP 323, Local-Variable Syntax for Lambda Parameters (JDK 11) is an extension of the var keyword to also be usable in Lambda parameters.

View this gist on GitHub
var keyword in lambda parameters

This simply enables you to use annotations with lambda parameters without requiring you to explicitly define the type of the lambda parameter.

switch Expressions (JDK 14)

The switch expression is a new type of switch which allows you to easily assign the result of the switch computation to a variable.

View this gist on GitHub
switch expression

This alleviates the requirement of having to use return or break to exit a switch statement. This also allows for simpler variable assignment, without having to repeat result = x + y; break;, result = x * y; break;, etc.

In short, switch expressions make switches shorter, easier to read, and less error prone.

Pattern Matching for instanceof (JDK 15, Second Preview)

JEP 375 will give Java’s instanceof test some much-needed love. Every Java programmer is familiar with the following for checking the type of an object, and then retrieving the value of a field from it.

View this gist on GitHub
Standard instanceof check, cast, and use of an unknown Object.

The above is verbose and unnecessary. Most of the time you do an instanceof test, you will be casting the object to that type and performing some type-specific operation on it. Pattern matching will make this more concise and remove the cast entirely.

View this gist on GitHub
Pattern Matching implementation of the above.

This becomes especially annoying when you need to test for multiple different types, as in the below example by Gavin Bierman and Brian Goetz.

View this gist on GitHub
Credit: Pattern Matching in Java by Brian Goetz and Gavin Bierman

Using pattern matching and switch expressions together, the above 17 lines of code, which is 66% boilerplate, could be simplified to just 8 lines.

View this gist on GitHub
Credit: Pattern Matching in Java by Brian Goetz and Gavin Bierman

The ability to use pattern matching with switch is not planned for the same release as the regular pattern matching, but I couldn’t help but include it. The clarity and brevity of the above code is impressive – especially for Java!

Text Blocks (JDK 15, Second Preview)

Text blocks are a simple quality of life enhancement for writing longer strings in Java. Whether you want to embed a block of code from another language, an HTML snippet, or a JSON payload, text blocks will simplify this:

View this gist on GitHub
HTML encoded in regular String

To this:

View this gist on GitHub
HTML encoded in a String using triple-quote (Text Block)

Text blocks support standard escape sequences and are java.lang.Strings.

Records (JDK 15, Second Preview)

Java Records are immutable classes that can be specified using special, compact syntax. If you are familiar with Lombok, records are similar to classes annotated with @Value, they are data holders that have the following properties (modified for readability from JEP 359):

  1. A private final field for each component of the state description;
  2. A public getter for each field in the state description;
  3. A public constructor which initializes each field from the corresponding argument;
  4. Implementations of equals and hashCode that say two records are equal if they are of the same type and contain the same state; and
  5. An implementation of toString that includes the string representation of all the record components, with their names.

Like enum, records are created using the keyword record and a straightforward constructor-like syntax called a “state description”. Once the state description is defined, we get all 5 features above for free. It is possible to add validation in the constructor and still not be required to specify the constructor arguments or fields they will be assigned to. Instance methods are also supported. Setters are not provided, the generated fields x and y below are final.

View this gist on GitHub
Creating a Rangerecord using state description.

Records are by far the most exciting new Java feature of the bunch. Records will change the way we interact with data holder classes on a day-to-day basis. I suspect that Java programmers, once beginning to use record, will wonder how we ever did this before.

Sealed Types (JDK 15, Preview)

A sealed type is a type with restrictions placed on what can subclass it. The restrictions are defined in the type definition. My first question with this feature was, why? Why not always allow for a type to be subclassed? This was explained best in JEP 360:

In Java, a class hierarchy enables the reuse of code via inheritance: The methods of a superclass can be inherited (and thus reused) by many subclasses. However, the purpose of a class hierarchy is not always to reuse code. Sometimes, its purpose is to model the various possibilities that exist in a domain, such as the kinds of shapes supported by a graphics library or the kinds of loans supported by a financial application. When the class hierarchy is used in this way, restricting the set of subclasses can streamline the modeling.

Brian Goetz, JEP 360, 2020

Sealed types allow you to specify not just what the supertype is, but also what the subtypes can be. As mentioned above, sealing allows for a special kind of semantic to be defined in a supertype. Another benefit is that the compiler is subsequently allowed to make assumptions about the subtypes, such as in our pattern matching switch expression example above – if the supertype is a sealed type, then the compiler could allow you to omit the default clause in a switch, as in the below example from Data Classes and Sealed Types for Java, by Brian Goetz (2019).

View this gist on GitHub
Sealed types switch expression example from Data Classes and Sealed Types for Java, by Brian Goetz (2019)

Contribute to OpenJDK

With all the new Java features coming to the JDK in the near future, I am excited to see what the OpenJDK team dreams up next. Clearly, the developer experience is at the forefront of the great minds working on the JDK. As Java developers, we are all part of the ecosystem that sustains and improves Java. If you have an interest in contributing or providing feedback on the preview features, become a contributor to OpenJDK here.

In today’s modern world, much of our conversation happens through the medium of email. Whether it is for marketing purposes or for personal use, utilizing email’s power has proven to work better and be more efficient than other communication channels for a multitude of reasons.

Today, we’d like to center our focus around announcement email templates, the sort of which you will often see within the context of business.

What we love about announcement emails is that they are directly related to marketing, but they are also used for internal, company-related matters, such as the promotion or the resignation of an employee.

For that reason, we decided to create an article where you can find templates for all the different types of announcement emails you may need to use. So, let’s get started!

New Business announcement emails

Announcement emails that have the purpose of introducing a new business, allow a company to reach out to an existing customer base instantly, instead of relying on other media sources, such as TV advertisements or printed media.

The prior connection a brand has built with its existing subscriber base can act as an “unfair advantage”, effectively setting them apart from their competition. Keep in mind that business launch emails can be mainly used by two types of businesses:

  1. (Personal) brands that have built a reputation and are now releasing their own store/service/product, or…
  2. Existing businesses that have built a customer base and are now opening a new franchise store in a different area.

In this example, we will be using the second (2) case as an example for our templates, since the first is very similar, and better covered, with “product launch announcement emails” (discussed below).

Example of a business announcement email

In this example, you can see how effectively ELOQUII is announcing their new store’s location. As you can see, they start by mentioning the area of the new location and follow-up by showing an image that helps their fans refresh their memory regarding all the store locations.

After the announcement of the new store, they make an irresistible offer (free appointment) and add a very strong and visible CTA (Book now).

Of course, you don’t have to be a graphic design expert to get ahold of this one. Mailigen offers a bunch of different templates that you can use to announce your new store location.

New business announcement email template

Whether you want to make your email stylish in design or keep things simple (text only), the following template can act as a great sample that you can adjust to your needs.

Dear [name],
We are excited to announce that, due to our remarkable growth over the last [enter number] of years, we are expanding!
In fact, we are opening a new store in [enter location and specifics].
We invite you to celebrate with us during the big opening day on [enter date]. There will be many exciting surprises, including irresistible discounts.
[Add specific CTA depending on your specific offer, in this example -] If you want to make use of your opening day discount, please click on the button below so we can send you the discount code.
See you there.
Team [name of your brand]

Product launch announcement templates

A product launch announcement email is sent with the purpose of announcing the launch of a new product, new feature, new release, or an upcoming event related to a product.

As discussed above, it is a great way for (personal) brands to expose their new product or service to their already existing subscriber database, effectively increasing the traffic to their new store.

In general, there are three main categories in which product launch emails are used. These are emails sent for product launches (such as a new clothing line), software product launches (such as a new SaaS business) or a feature release (an updated version for an intangible product, such as an ebook or software).

New product announcement email example

It is obviously very difficult to give an example that everyone can identify with when it comes to product releases. After all, depending on the type and niche of the product, one email may look vastly different than another.

In this case, we chose to illustrate an example that represents exactly what a personal brand’s email should look like.

The author of the book is a well-known researcher and nutritionist that has published several books in the past, having amassed a large number of subscribers for his newsletter.

As such, there is no need for exciting intros or overly marketed offers. In this case, the introduction is laid out with more words than you would expect the typical email to have, explaining that the product is a result of prior engagement with his subscribers.

What is impressive here, is that he touches upon the readers’ emotions by donating part of his profits to a charitable organization that speaks to his audience, before moving to the blue-colored CTA.

New product release email template

Above, we gave an example that was simpler than what you might be used to seeing from big brands, especially in its design. If you rather use a more stylish approach, you can always choose from all the templates available in Mailigen.

Remember, not one template can be given for product launch announcement email, so this one may need more adjustments than all the rest. That being said, here is a simple template you can use for your next product launch email.

Dear [name]
The new [product name] is finally here!
What makes the [product name] different is [give an introduction to the product and why people may want to buy it]
You can order your [product name] directly from our webstore or find it on Amazon.
[Only add offer if needed] The first 100 people that make an order will receive free shipping.
[Add CTA button]

New software release announcement email

When it comes to software release announcement emails, the first thing that may come to mind is the release of a new app to an already existing subscriber base. For example, if you are a fitness influencer, you might be thinking about releasing your own fitness application, to help your customers train better and scale your business.

In this case, this email is the one you need to be looking at. Below, we will give an example of Greetings, an existing company that released its own application.

Example of New software release announcement email

The email starts by instantly letting the reader know what it’s all about – A new application. What follows is a quick intro to the product.

The design of the email, in this specific case, is important, as it gives an insight into what kind of visuals the readers could use for their greeting cards.

Another thing we like in this example is that the company is very specific about the product features and the way it works.

Exciting New Features & New Plans 12x16

Finally, one can observe that the company hosts two different CTAs, namely “Download Greetings for iPhone” and “Last Button for Holiday Cards.” Companies often follow such a method to test which CTA will receive more clicks and adjust accordingly.

New software release email template

As with the previous template, it is very difficult to offer one template that works for all occasions. You can use the following sample as a foundation that you will build and adjust depending on your product.

Exciting New Features For Iphone

Hey [name],
We are excited to announce the release of our new app, [name of app].
[1-liner introduction about your app and its function]
In the last few months, we have been tirelessly working to improve our product/service and we believe that [name of app] will help you enjoy your experience with [company name] even more.
So what is [name of app] all about?
[explain the purpose of your app with visuals and in further depth, focusing on the features].
You can download our app directly from the App Store and Google play
[add CTA button to download the App]

New feature release announcement emails

The release of a new feature can be a reason for an exciting announcement email. From software companies (SaaS) all the way to gaming companies, improving your offer in any sort of way calls for communication with your fans and/or users.

Example for New Feature Release Announcement email

We chose this feature release email template from Carbonmade, not for its beautiful design, but rather for the simple message it conveys to its readers.

Exciting New Features For Kids

Although the email only presents two areas with text, the fusion of the available space with text and visuals is used in a great way. As such, the users understand the new features thanks to the company’s informal and somewhat “laid back” tone of voice.

Feature release announcement email template

When it comes to a new feature release, the way of structuring your email will highly depend on your company’s tone of voice. A very big company, such as Microsoft, will not announce their updated version of Windows the same way a smaller company will introduce an update to its software.

In this case, and to stay in line with the example provided, we will focus on smaller-scale businesses, using a friendly and relaxed tone of voice. You can, of course, adjust this template to your personal needs and add visuals or further explanation if needed. In this one, we kept things relatively simple.

Hey [name]
Our new, updated version of [product] is finally live!
We made sure to [give a short intro about what makes the updated version different].
Ready to download the updated version?
Click on the button below to get started!
[Add CTA]

Pre-Order Announcement email

Pre-order announcement emails are usually sent before the official launch of a product, to create more buzz and gain an initial idea of the orders they will need to fulfill Most of the times, Pre-order emails have the sole purpose of sending the reader to an external landing page where, before placing an order he will have the opportunity to read more upon the product he is interested in.

Example of a Pre-order announcement email

Apple needs no introduction. This is also probably why this email is barely 20 words in length. When structuring your own pre-order email, and considering your business is not on the level of Apple, you may want to add a little more words than Apple does in this, beautifully designed, email.

As you can see, the example above has two calls to action, with the main focus on the “Pre-order” button. Users can learn more about the product by clicking on the second call to action right beneath: “Learn more”.

Template of a Pre-order announcement email

Are you searching for a template you could use to create your own pre-order announcement? Then use the following template:

Hey [name],
The big day has finally come! We just finished [the product, e.g. finished writing our latest book, and waiting for the editor to go through it].
Before we release the book on [your website] and Amazon, we’d like to reward all our loyal supporters by allowing you to pre-order the book, before anyone else.
[add an element of scarcity, e.g. There will be only 2000 books printed in this printing round, so be fast!]
[Add CTA, e.g. Pre-Order now]

Finally, when it comes to product announcement emails, remember that the three examples above can also be used, with some slight edits depending on the situation, to inform readers about Event or webinar announcements and spot reservations for future sales.

Promotion announcement email

Oftentimes, within a company’s environment, it may be challenging to communicate changes with all employees on the spot. This can be due to the size of the company, or even the company’s policies. As such, oftentimes companies will share important information with their employees through email.

One of these cases is a promotion announcement email, which employees may receive during certain periods of transition. Usually, these types of emails are more formal and, as such, it may be a good idea to make use of a pre-existing template and adjust it to your needs.

Example of a promotion email announcement

As you can see, the email is written in a rather formal way, making it much easier to use and adjust a template for such occasion. The author starts by addressing the totality of the staff, making the announcement in the first paragraph, so that everyone is aware of what it is they are reading.

In the remaining paragraphs, the author compliments the individual that got the promotion, informing the rest of the staff of his achievements and giving a small glimpse into what it takes to get a promotion within the company.

Template of promotion email template announcement

You can use the following template for a promotion announcement.

Dear fellow staff,
I am pleased to announce to all of you that [name] has been promoted to [new role within the company].
[name] has worked here at [company’s name] for [length of time], and was instrumental in [address some important work and/or achievement]. Aside from spending long hours in the office and taking on additional tasks, [name] showed his team spirit by simultaneously helping others improve their work output. We are happy to reward that kind of hard work and dedication.
Please join me in congratulating [name] on this exciting news.
Best regards,
[supervisor name]
[company name]

Open position announcement

Emails sent out internally, within a company, to announce a new position that is up for grabs, is often referred to as an Open Position Announcement email. If you are a business owner or simply responsible for the task of filling the open position, then this is the email you need to send. Here is how such an email looks like

Example of open position announcement email

As most companies choose to keep such emails in their internal servers only, it proved difficult to discover impressive examples that we could show you. As such, we created an example ourselves:

Dear all,
If you have been following the developments within our company, you probably came across our latest job opening. For those of you that are not aware, we are currently hiring an HR manager. This announcement will, on a later date be shared with external sources as well, but we would like to get some eligible candidates from within our company.
If you’d like to get more information on the specific role and get a full description of what our ideal candidate looks like, please click here. If this job role interests you, feel free to send us your CV and give a brief explanation as to why you are the perfect person for this role, by replying to this email.
If you have more questions, feel free to ask Suzan M., who is available in her office from 9.00-11.00.
Kind regards,
Maria Sharena

As you can see from the example above, Maria chooses to introduce the role within the company before posting it to external websites. Her goal is to see at least some people within the company reply to the email, sending their CV. She keeps the email short and adds a link to further information the candidates may need. It is a simple and comprehensive way to get her point across.

Template of open position announcement email

And if you are looking for a template that you can use to announce a new, open vacancy within your company, you can use the following example as a foundation.

Dear all,
I have some exciting news for all of you. As of today, there is a vacancy for our role in our [Department] More specifically, we are looking for a new [add job title]. Even though eventually, we plan to publish this job opening to external channels as well, we strongly recommend any current employee who is interested in this role to apply.
Our new [Job_title] will work together with the [e.g. Product Marketing] team and hold main responsibilities related to [mention two or three main duties e.g. Social media marketing]
If you’d like to be considered for this role, you [add requirements, e.g. have expertise in SEO, Google ads and Social media marketing.]
Click here [add CTA linked to the add] for a full job description.
To apply for this role, reply to this email by [date] with your resume and give a short explanation as to why you’re interested in this position.
If you have any questions regarding this position, feel free to contact our HR team [add contact details].
Best regards,
[Your name]
[Company name]

New employee announcement

It is quite common, within large companies, to introduce new employees by sending out an internal email to all existing staff. Especially when the role this person undertakes is higher in the hierarchy of the company, it is a good idea to use this strategy so that everyone within the company has a good understanding of the person who will be joining the company. Here is an example of what such an email looks like:

Example of new employee announcement email

Catherine introduces Ann to all the staff of Mediquick, mentioning she will be the new addition to the customer service team. As you may be able to tell, Ann does not have a high position in the hierarchy of the company. Nonetheless, it is a great way to make everyone aware of Ann, who will now most likely receive a heartfelt welcome.

The sender of the email makes sure to mention that, for everyone who is directly involved and/or has to communicate with Ann on a regular basis, there is an appointed person to help out.

Finally, she shares some personal information to make others find points of common interest and stimulate feelings of socialization to make the new addition feel more welcome in the work environment.

Template of new employee announcement email

Below is a generic template you can use to introduce a new employee to the rest of the staff. Of course, feel free to adjust according to your needs.

Dear staff,
We are pleased to announce that we found the best candidate for our long-lasting open position [enter job position]. We decided to bring [name] to the team as his/her knowledge matches and exceeds the requirements for the role.
[name] has worked in [give a short description of previous roles and responsibilities].
During his/her first month, [name] will be assisting our new hire to learn more about his/her responsibilities, the company culture and the expectations within the company.
We hope and assume you will make the first step and introduce yourself to our new [job role], helping him/her adjust to the pleasant atmosphere of our company as quickly as possible.
Best regards,
[name]
[company name]

Related Posts

Exciting New Features & New Plans!
8 Creative Announcement Email Examples And Templates




Comments are closed.