Microsoft Is Testing A Terrible Ad Idea In Windows 10 Mail [Update]
Microsoft, we're sorry to say, is back at it again with its intrusive Windows 10 ideas. This time around, Microsoft has decided to start testing ads within the Windows 10 mail app. While it isn't exactly surprising to see Microsoft do this, we can't imagine that Mail users will be all too happy seeing these new ads.
Though the feature only seems to be in testing for now, the realization that Microsoft is looking at inserting ads into Windows 10's Mail app definitely doesn't bode well for the future. These personalized banner ads will appear at the top of your inbox, and though there is a way to get rid of them, the solution is equally upsetting.
These ads were first discovered by Italian site Aggiornamenti Lumia, which states that the only way to get rid of the ads is to sign up for an Office 365 subscription. Those subscriptions aren't exactly cheap, clocking in at a minimum of $69.99 per year for a single user. If you've got additional people in your home who need to use Office 365's apps, the subscription jumps up to $99.99 per year.
By now, Microsoft has developed something of a history of being intrusive in Windows. Back in September, the company was seen testing pop-ups that warn users away from Chrome or Firefox as soon as users launched their respective installers. Of course, most of us also remember those endlessly annoying and sometimes confusing pop-ups that urged users to upgrade with Windows 10 while it was being offered for free.
You'll still see these ads even if you're using a third-party email service within the Mail app, which only serves as the cherry on this unappetizing sundae. We'll see if Microsoft pushes forward with this plan, but for now, head down to the comments section and give us your take on this sure-to-be-controversial move.
Update: Well, here's a bit of good news. According to Microsoft communications lead Frank X. Shaw in a post on Twitter, ads in Windows 10's Mail app aren't actually about to become a thing. "This was an experimental feature that was never intended to be tested broadly and it is being turned off," Shaw said. So, for now at least, there doesn't seem to be a threat of ads invading Windows 10 Mail. Still, the fact that it's a feature Microsoft put at least some thought into is a little bit concerning, but hopefully this is something that remains on the cutting room floor from here on out.