Microsoft Strikes Back With Hotmail For Android

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Microsoft strikes back with Hotmail for Android

Hotmail makes its debut on Android -- and adds new features to deal with spam and "gray mail"

By Ted Samson

In a move that could help Hotmail take back email market share lost to Gmail, Microsoft has announced not only significant improvements to its email service, but also a brand-spanking new native Hotmail client for Android that incorporates the Redmond-born ActiveSync technology.

The decision to invest in a native Hotmail app for Android might, at first blush, seem beneficial to both Microsoft and Google, as it provides Android users another reason to forgo adopting the Windows Phone platform. Still, the Big Redmond Machine has a vested interest in seeing Android succeed; Microsoft is raking in cash from Android licenses, thanks to agreements with an array of hardware makers. Plus, each Android device sold means one fewer iPhone sold.

Notably, Microsoft didn't do the heavy lifting in developing the Hotmail client for Android; rather, it turned to its partner Seven Networks to build the app, which delivers push-enabled access to the user inbox, contact list, and calendars, and it's available free of charge in the Android Market. Until now, Android users have had to access their Hotmail accounts via their mobile Web browsers.

Seven, by the way, is a Microsoft partner with a long track of building carrier-email clients that hook into Hotmail and leverage Microsoft's MSP protocol. What's more, Seven serves as an intermediary between Microsoft and carriers, delivering Hotmail access to operator service portals.

Full story: http://www.infoworld.com/t/mobile-apps/microsoft-strikes-back-hotmail-android-174977

-- infoworld.com 1011-10-05

[MarleyMarl]

Hotmail sucks, and they probably still attach advertisements to the footer of your emails

[nikster]

The amount of money MS makes from Android is absurd. I hope the madness stops at some point... I mean... how did this ever happen? Why is Google letting it happen?

[lomatopo]

The amount of money MS makes from Android is absurd. I hope the madness stops at some point... I mean... how did this ever happen? Why is Google letting it happen?

MSFT gains ~ 35 million per year from Android related licenses, their annual revenues are 60 billion. Mice nuts.

FWIW, the manufacturer (HTC, Samsung, et al.) pays MSFT.

[Crushdepth]

I'm just amused that Microsoft would tout Activesync as a "feature". The idiots in marketing must not have tried to use it. They may as well staple a dead kitten to the box.

M$ gets about $5 per Android phone. With half a million activations per day, that's a pretty handy little dividend.

[tw25rw]

Thanks for this thread.. I just downloaded this app. still my preferred free email after 16 years..

[Digitalbanana]

>Microsoft strikes back with Hotmail for Android.

Reminds me of the Python sketch in Holy Grail..

King Arthur: Look, you stupid bastard. You've got no arms left!

[tw25rw]

The app is fairly limited.. It only keeps mail for up to about a month and doesn't give you access to custom folders from what I can see. I don't see this becoming my normal mail client.

[nikster]

>Microsoft strikes back with Hotmail for Android.

Reminds me of the Python sketch in Holy Grail..

King Arthur: Look, you stupid bastard. You've got no arms left!

It's just a flesh wound!

ROFL