Windows 10 mail app could soon be getting ads; pilot program reportedly underway

The default app for mail in Windows 10 called Windows email may soon be getting ads for non-office 365 subscribers if reports are to be believed. As a matter of fact, this new feature has already made its way to beta testing in a number of countries around the world. [caption id=“attachment_4451271” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Windows 10 with Redstone 4. Image: Microsoft[/caption] The news was first reported via a tweet from Aggiornamenti Lumia. Microsoft’s FAQ has also mentioned that this happens to be a pilot program and that it will help determine if the company should move ahead with a rollout of the feature. If you wish to opt out of this ad program you would have to pay $7 a month to get ad-free content.

Microsoft slips ads in Windows 10 Mail client – then U-turns so hard, it warps fabric of reality https://t.co/b7JJD9abTg

— The Register (@TheRegister) November 17, 2018

The company has also said that it will not be reading the contents of your email or calendar when it’s targeting you with these ads. However, there will be some amount of targeting. Will this discourage people from using the mail app? Microsoft will likely be giving a definite answer to this ads situation soon enough. In more Microsoft news, the company has announced the acquisition of a conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) and bot development company **XOXCO** for an undisclosed sum. Texas-based XOXCO has been paving the way in conversational AI since 2013 and was responsible for the creation of Howdy, the first commercially available bot for Slack that helps schedule meetings. With inputs from IANS