14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently announced that users of its Outlook.com email service who are still relying on Windows Live Mail 2012 to send and receive messages from their desktops would have to move to a different client because the app will no longer be supported.
Specifically, Outlook.com is built on the latest Office 365 infrastructure, and given the fact that Windows Live Mail 2012 is quite an old application that does not support modern protocols, Outlook.com emails can no longer be handled.
“This means the time has come for you to upgrade to a new email application,” Javier Soltero, corporate vice president for the Outlook team, said.
It goes without saying that Microsoft wants users to move from Windows Live Mail 2012 to none other than the Outlook client installed in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, but there’s no doubt that some would go for third-party apps or simply use Outlook.com in their browsers.
Next recommended destination, the pre-installed Outlook app
Soltero, however, explained that switching to the built-in Windows email app is the best choice because it was designed from the very beginning to work with Outlook.com accounts, so it provides the best integration with the operating system.
“This is the most-used desktop email app among Outlook.com users today. It is designed to work with the new Outlook.com, offers a more modern and touch-friendly interface and integrates elegantly with the Windows platform. Like Windows Live Mail 2012, the Mail app on Windows is free,” he said.
The change will come into effect on June 30, 2016, so all users will have to switch to a different email client before this date.
Ironically, Gmail users who configured their accounts in Windows Live Mail 2012 can keep the app running because Google’s service still works with the old technology that Microsoft points to in this announcement. And yet, Microsoft acknowledges that this new transition might be painful for some, but says that it was the only way to improve its email platform.
“We recognize that changes like this can be difficult and apologize for any inconvenience this causes you. We bring a change like this only after thoughtful consideration. In this case, we are confident that you will love the benefits and performance of the new Outlook.com,” the company concluded.