There is no doubting that Microsoft’s Outlook.com webmail interface is a massive upgrade to those still back in the dark ages with Hotmail, but Microsoft is today making some big claims in saying that many users are making the switch to the service from GMail. In fact, they are claiming to have spoken to “hundreds of Gmail users for a panel, 4 out of 5 of these Gmail users said they would switch to Outlook.com”
The Outlook.com design is certainly clean and easy to navigate, and with the recent additions of conversation threading (made popular by GMail) and new keyboard shortcuts, Microsoft are giving Google a run for its money, but I’m not sure its enough to make people switch. If I’m anything like a “normal” GMail user, I’ve had the same personal email address now for umpteen years, and until Google drops the ball and falls noticeably behind I will probably keep it.
That said, the geek that I am meant that I signed up with Outlook.com whilst it was still in beta, both to try it out and reserve my name, and was very impressed. Being as my current phone is a Windows phone, the synchronicity of the whole thing could be a factor in the future.
It doesn’t hurt that Microsoft are also launching a native Android (2+) app for Outlook.com as well, so you know they aren’t just looking to convert people already using the Windows mobile ecosystem.