Microsoft is testing ads in the Mail app on Windows 10

Microsoft has started testing ads in the Windows 10 Mail app.

Spotted by Windows news site Aggiornamenti Lumia, the feature is in testing in several countries around the world.

Further, the Redmond, Washington-based company has a FAQ page for the ads.

Bad news: Mail for #Windows10 is getting ads for non-office 365 subscribers! https://t.co/xDELzAClJq pic.twitter.com/gXkQXab5Wr

— Aggiornamenti Lumia (@ALumia_Italia) November 16, 2018

As a result, there was an uproar on Twitter over the news. The Verge’s Tom Warren tweeted that Microsoft is A/B testing the feature and that doesn’t mean it’s coming to Windows.

However, for a feature in testing, Microsoft seems to have put a lot of work into it. There’s the FAQ page for one, but the company has also released pricing information. If users want to opt out of ads in Mail, you’ll need an Office 365 subscription, which will cost you $8 a month, or $79 a year.

There are reports Microsoft is adding ads to the Windows 10 Mail app. Before everyone freaks out, this is just in A/B testing and doesn’t 100% mean it’s coming at all

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) November 16, 2018

Further, Microsoft has said it won’t read the contents of emails to target ads, unlike Yahoo and, until 2017, Google.

Despite the issue coming up now, users have pointed out the Microsoft tested ads in Mail before.

Also, this isn’t the first instance of unfriendly behaviour from the company. Microsoft previously attempted to steer users away from other browsers using a fear-mongering pop-up.

Ultimately, if ads in Mail is truly in a testing period, now is an opportune time to tell Microsoft how you feel about that. In the past, the company has reversed controversial changes like this. Hopefully it will do so again.

Source: Aggiornamenti Lumia Via: The Verge