Last week we told you about rumors of a new service coming from Microsoft, Outlook.com Premium. The new subscription service was rumored to bring custom domains back to Microsoft services users (you used to be able to get custom domains, with email managed by Hotmail/Outlook.com, from Windows Live Custom Domains) along with some other amenities.
Now, thanks to prolific Twitter “leaker” WalkingCat, we have a first look at just what Outlook.com is all about:
https://t.co/KAU4LxexcC Premium Pilot https://t.co/aSbGAhsqXn pic.twitter.com/FxH7ZQXwrv
— WalkingCat (@h0x0d) February 25, 2016
By following the link WalkingCat provides, signing in, and clicking through a time or two, you do indeed get to the page he has screenshotted. Here’s a quick summary of what’s offered on the page:
- Five personalized email addresses
- Share contacts, calendars and documents automatically with those 5 users
- No banner ads
- Powered by Outlook.com
In the “disclosure” section at the bottom left of the page, it’s further revealed that the custom domains (subject to availability) will be managed by GoDaddy, and free with Outlook Premium for the first year, then after that you’ll pay GoDaddy’s usual rates for domain registration.
This new service seems to fit between the old Custom Domains and/or ad free Outlook.com (another paid service), and Office 365’s subscriptions, which can provide custom domains for larger groups.
The service appears to be free with an Office 365 subscription, and a FAQ linked at the bottom of the page gives some details on how to set up and use the custom domain, but again doesn’t provide many other details.
Further reading: custom domain, Outlook.com, Outlook.com Premium
