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Microsoft is Testing Ads in Mail App For Windows 10 in Select Markets (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the shape-of-things-to-come dept.

Mark Wilson writes: Ads in your inbox. Sounds like something you'd expect from the likes of Google or Yahoo, but Microsoft appears to be about to get in on the act as well. And we're not talking about online ads in your Outlook.com account -- we're talking about ads in the Mail app that's included with Windows 10. A new report says that Microsoft is currently testing ads with Windows Insiders, so it could be just a matter of time before they spread wider. In a support page, spotted first by news outlet Thurrott, Microsoft says, "Consistent with consumer email apps and services like Outlook.com, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail, advertising allows us to provide, support, and improve some of our products. We're always experimenting with new features and experiences. Currently, we have a pilot running in Brazil, Canada, Australia, and India to get user feedback on ads in Mail."

Update: ZDNet reports that Calendar app for Windows 10 is getting the same treatment.

6 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. Hey Microsoft - I have some user feedback: by slashdice · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fuck you.

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    Copyright (c) 1990 - 2014 Dice. All rights reserved. Use of this comment is subject to certain Terms and Conditions.
  2. I am shocked! by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 4, Insightful
    People are still using the Mail App bundled with Win10?

    Enough people use it to make it a viable advertisement platform?

    Come on, is it April 1?

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    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  3. WTF by DarkOx · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Look Microsoft you have been shipping a mail client (of a kind) with Windows since at least 3.11. Now maybe that was just a ploy to sell some NT Server and later Exchange licenses. All fine; whatever. Here is the thing though you are charging me for the OS. The license fee should pay for you to improve my experience.

    The addition of advertising will certainly NOT improve my experience. Now I would argue that a mail client really is out side the scope of an OS anyway. If you don't want to support it or develop it; than just drop it entirely. Plenty of freeware mail clients out there you crappy one will be missed by exactly nobody.

    Keep in mind though you are continuing to destroy the general value proposition of Windows. Apple seems to be able to deliver OSX with a suite of software that would be pretty adequate for most home users needs and give it away for free with (or pay for it by bundling it with) the hardware.

    If you expect anyone past the current generation of midlevel IT managers who have just always bought MS; to pay premium prices for your Surface hardware well you better deliver a premium OS. The rest of us are NOT going to pay for your adware.

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    Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
  4. Re:Where shall we run to? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Thunderbird is still worlds ahead of the 2018 version of Outlook Express...

  5. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  6. Re:Of course by Teckla · · Score: 4, Informative

    You got me curious, so I tapped the Windows key, typed in "Solitaire", and clicked on the first selection, thinking it would be, you know, Soltaire...

    What I got was signed into Xbox Live (I had an Xbox 360 years ago) -- mind you, a sign-in that took something like 30 seconds -- after which it popped open an ugly ad-laden window which told me I was automatically getting a free week of something-or-another premium (what?), and Edge (choke) popped up... with an auto-play video advertisement.

    Microsoft has never been worse than they are now.