Outlook.com ends testing phase and migration of Hotmail users begins

Last summer Microsoft launched Outlook.com in a trial version open to anyone who wanted to test its revamped webmail client . Six months later, the new email service from Redmond is already ready for its final version Starting today Outlook.com will become the service of Microsoft email, becoming the central point of the new experience that the company has been building for months.

During the testing period, the email service has amassed more than 60 million users who already actively use their new email.From Microsoft they emphasize that they are users who periodically access their mail via the web or through applications, not simply registered people. With its final version, the service will be available in more countries with the aim of multiplying that number, which it will quickly do with the migration of Hotmail accounts to the new email.

In the coming days Microsoft will begin migrating the hundreds of millions of Hotmail users to the new version of Outlook. All the content of our old Hotmail email accounts, including messages, folders, contacts, passwords and other elements, will remain exactly the same. In addition, it will not be mandatory to change the email address to @outlook.com, being able to keep our usual email address. The process will take months and they expect it to be finished in the summer. Those who do not want to wait can cause the change by entering Outlook.com with their usual username and password, being automatically migrated.

To promote the move to the final version, from Redmond they have prepared a great campaign around the world. The campaign once again emphasizes respect for privacy and the lack of service, in clear reference to Gmail, against which they have been campaigning in the United States for weeks. But mainly it focuses on highlighting the central points of the important facelift that Outlook.com supposes with respect to traditional Microsoft mail.

From Redmond, the advantages of connecting Outlook to our Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts stand out, and being able to see the updates of our contacts directly from the mail. They also explain the improvements in spam or inbox management, making it easier to manage our emails. The new service also improves the treatment of multimedia content, such as photos or videos, thanks to the integration with SkyDrive.

A good handful of new features that significantly improve the experience compared to classic Hotmail. Microsoft had been demanding a renewal of its email service for a long time and now it is on our screens. As always, there is nothing better than testing for yourself what Outlook.com offers and see if it meets expectations.

Via | Outlook Blog