Computer and Library Learning (Archived)

On December 11, 2012, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced on the corporate blog that the company has made some changes to Yahoo Mail, emphasizing fewer distractions, speed (i.e. quick login), ease of use, and universal availability through all major platforms: Web, Windows 8, iPhone/iPod Touch, and Android. Yahoo Mail and Messenger General Manager Vivek Sharma noted that Yahoo’s new, native apps were intended for speed with the ability to easily scan one’s inbox with the options of starring messages requiring follow-up, deleting unneeded messages, and moving important messages to assigned folders – all from the convenience of the inbox. For Yahoo Mail users on the Web, steps have been reduced to ensure direct arrival at the inbox following login, while improved performance would result in faster reading and writing of messages. After one sends a composed message, Yahoo Mail users now return to the inbox with a collective 36 million minutes saved daily, according to Sharma.

To facilitate usage, the Web version of Yahoo Mail has fewer buttons. Photos and attachments now show up at the top of a message; iPhone and Android users have the ability to attach photographs directly from the camera roll, or take and send a photograph within their Yahoo Mail accounts. Photo re-sizing can be done easily, whether one is interested in the aesthetics of photography or concerned about their data usage/storage. Yahoo has created an app to dovetail with Windows 8 devices that ties Yahoo Mail in directly with Windows 8 features such as Live Tiles.

Yahoo Mail also emphasized advanced searching and filtering for locating and managing messages, instant photo and video viewing from directly inside the inbox, unlimited storage capability, the ability to import contacts from other email accounts and Facebook, using instant messaging (IM) and text messaging (SMS), customizing the appearance of the inbox using “Themes”, and using SSL (Secure Socket Layers) encryption to protect messages (However, SSL must be turned on first in “Mail Options”.)

The context for the major email providers (Gmail, Hotmail/Outlook, and Yahoo) is that Yahoo is number 3 worldwide behind Gmail and Hotmail/Outlook but saw its usage decline by 7% since last year, according to comScore. However, Yahoo placed first in the United States with 40.8% of online American users, compared to Gmail at 36.7% and 18.9% for Hotmail/Outlook.

Arguably, Yahoo’s changes have made Yahoo Mail more competitive. Time will tell where the email popularity stakes will end up in the future…

(See also: Microsoft is Replacing Hotmail: What is the Outlook for Gmail and Yahoo?)