Well, you didn’t see this coming, did you? Hotmail, which due to some feat of magic remains the world’s most popular webmail client, has exploded on Apple’s mobile products since the introduction of the latest firmware edition, iOS 5.
According to Microsoft, some 2 million Hotmail accounts have been linked to an iOS device since the 5th version was released, and some 100,000 are doing so daily. Changes in iOS 5 made it much simpler to link a Hotmail account to an iOS gadget, and the response has been large thus far.
According to Microsoft, Hotmail has around 360 million unique monthly users, so the overlap between the iOS gadget owners and Hotmail users must be quite wide. But there is something vaugley dirty, you must feel, about Hotmail on an iPad. It’s a bit like bringing a 1999 Honda Accord to an open track day. It’s a bit out of place.
Of course, Hotmail has been making strides to capitalize on its massive userbase, and to combat the rise of Gmail, which will eat its proverbial midday meal if it doesn’t radically reform. It appears to be trying to do just that, if its most recent product news is any indicator.
About their forthcoming redesign, this is what we said: “Today’s update is cosmetic, and functional. The crucial new feature released is ‘Categories,’ which is the equivalent of Gmail’s ‘Label’ feature. That Hotmail lacked this for so long shows exactly how far Microsoft has fallen behind Google in this space. Still, the direct feature rip is welcome, as Labels are an important element of Gmail, and were much needed in Hotmail.” Progress is progress, but with Gmail improving itself, if Hotmail can catch up is a question that feels answered
Microsoft says that it is just “getting started” on iOS. We’ll see.
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In case everyone else is too shy to acknowledge this, as seems to be the case:
Hotmail is awesome. It's the best webmail platform, and keeps improving. More improvements are already in the pipeline. The team are very open about their work, but websites like this one seem to ignore it. There's much more to it than email, from integration with SkyDrive and MS Office Web apps to clever features with third-parties so for instance if there's a courier tracking code in an email it automatically displays shipment tracking, and many other surprising innovations and features that you will be ignorant of if you rely on Google/Apple-obsessed websites like this one.
For years Google has tried but failed to catch up with Hotmail. They're not even in the top two. The most obvious thing about their latest redesign is that it's blatantly copying Bing's background photo idea.
Give millions of users some credit. They choose their email service wisely. Do you?
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LikeTim Acheson "Google/Apple-obsessed websites like this one" says the guy making a comment on thenextweb.com/MICROSOFT.
I find it hilarious that you take every attempt you can to sling mud at us, our work and the work of Google and/or Apple, all the while completely neglecting the fact that we diligently report on every single move that Microsoft makes publicly.
Troll harder, Tim.
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LikeI saw it coming. The real question is, why didn't you?
(There seems to be an older generation of bloggers who thinks it's still cool and trendy to be negative about Microsoft, while worship Google/Apple.)
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LikeWhat hotmail? now it is me.com for me.
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LikeI think this points back even further to partnerships in supporting Microsoft software created early on at Apple. Let's be honest here it makes a lot of sense to make it simple to access software created by the software giant that Microsoft is. With the continued jump in mobile services from both Apple and Microsoft better integration is always better for the end user. The ultimate winner in the mobile market will be the provider with the best quality of product, simplicity of use, and choices of software solutions. Apple still has the lead here and this simply furthers that. Well at least that's my opinion...
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LikeThis just points to the fact that iOS users are from an older generation that is still using Hotmail. I still have an active Hotmail account the first one I registered 15 Years ago just use it as a spam filter for my gmail
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LikeMuch needed and awaited improvements. Point with hotmail is that only now Microsoft has realised that less and less people are using desktop clients for email instead preferring the web browser for checking mail on a desktop. While they are much more inclined to use clients on a mobile device (even better than clients a dedicated app would be mint)
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LikeConversation from Twitter
Jazpster Get a iPhone- On Us! Details Inside! ..http://wung.in/brh?=mjaz
bimal_tailor - stopped using hotmail and msn messenger couple of years ago, even yahoo mail. Just google now.
Yousuf_Rafique definitely. Its the way forward. Minimal text based email
pateast Related: I get tons of flack from people for using 10 year old Microsoft Natural Keyboards with my Mac.
aspott Ha! We're an all Mac shop - 50/50 have Microsoft and Apple keyboards!
lukew It'd be funny if the numbers swing up after Gmail's latest desktop redesign.
Microsoft sponsors that, right? .Techmeme alex What's driving Hotmail's massive mobile adoption? The iPhone (alex / The Next Web