The history of Hotmail

 

Hotmail was one of the first web-based email services ever created. (1) It allowed users to access (2) their messages from any computer with an internet connection. Before Hotmail, most people used desktop email programs or paid online services.

Two engineers, Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith, developed the idea in 1995. (3) They wanted to build something new — an email service that worked through a browser. The name “Hotmail” was chosen because (4) it included the letters H, T, M, and L, which stand for HTML, the language used to create websites.

(5) They launched the service on July 4, 1996. At first, Hotmail offered 2MB of storage space. (6) This wasn’t much, but it was enough for many users at the time. One of the reasons for (7) its success was its smart marketing strategy. Every email sent from a Hotmail account had a link at the bottom saying, “Get your free email at Hotmail.” As a result, more people started signing up.

Within months, (8) the service grew rapidly. By the end of 1997, Microsoft decided to buy Hotmail. The deal was worth around $400 million. After the acquisition, Microsoft renamed the service MSN Hotmail and later Windows Live Hotmail.

Over time, technology advanced and user needs changed. In 2013, Microsoft replaced Hotmail with Outlook.com. All Hotmail accounts were moved to this new platform. Although Hotmail no longer exists as a brand, its impact on digital communication remains significant.

Hotmail helped make email accessible to millions of people around the world. It was a pioneer in the development of online services and played a key role in shaping how we communicate today.