BetaNews has learned that Microsoft is expected to begin its rollout of the next version of Hotmail, possibly as early as Wednesday. Code-named 'Kahuna,' this version of Hotmail will sport a new style of interface, automatic inbox refreshing and a preview pane that will enable Hotmail users to read and respond to e-mail without ever leaving their inbox.
The announcement could come in tandem with announcements on the betas of Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Vista, both of which are expected to be released sometime Wednesday.
Included with the upgrade is a bump of the storage space for free users to two gigabytes, of which several sources told BetaNews they had seen storage increases in their accounts. The increased storage space would put it on a more equal footing with its competitors. Google's Gmail offers 2GB, as does Yahoo! Mail.
The latest version of Hotmail would also include upgrades to Microsoft's Sender ID technology. Sender ID has been pushed by the Redmond company as a way cut down on the number of spam messages and phishing attacks flooding customer inboxes. It has received the backing of companies such as America Online, especially following the company's move to open it up to be compatible with competing anti-spam technologies.
Sender ID has already been live in the production version of Hotmail since January of this year.
Recognizing that it is behind in several key areas, Microsoft has engineered the next wave of Hotmail, allegedly referred to as the 'competitive wave,' in a methodical push to meet or exceed the competition. ~link
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