rumour or not ? Hotmail and outlook.com

[t-4-2]

We all know that Microsoft has introduced outlook.com with the hope of having all hotmail.com users to switch to outlook.com
Based on many articles I have read in last 4 weeks, Microsoft has no intention to stop supporting Hotmail.
At present time, a hotmail user can use the hotmail ID and password to sign in to outlook.com. By doing that, the user can switch back to hotmail anytime.
Those are facts and I am perfectly well versed with hotmail and outlook.com.
My question is :
I keep reading hints ( from 2 MVPs) that in a very near future ( I do mean near future, like this year ), hotmail users will not have the luxury of switching back and forth between Hotmail.com and Outlook.com

Does anyone have an insight to this matter ?

Thank you.

t-4-2

Adding .................... I am not referring to the latest Microsoft Services Agreement update. I had read that thing 4 times.

 

[A Guy]

I can only say that I have seen nothing definitive about when hotmail will go away. It is all rumor and supposition at this point. If you go to Hotmail, there is not even a suggestion to "update" to Outlook.com as of yet, so the casual user is probably not even aware Outlook.com exists. It is interesting (to say the least) that "looking" at Outlook.com automatically switches your Hotmail to the new user interface (although you can switch back). In my travels, I have seen zero info that would even imply a timetable. A Guy

 

[t-4-2]

I can only say that I have seen nothing definitive about when hotmail will go away. It is all rumor and supposition at this point. If you go to Hotmail, there is not even a suggestion to "update" to Outlook.com as of yet, so the casual user is probably not even aware Outlook.com exists. It is interesting (to say the least) that "looking" at Outlook.com automatically switches your Hotmail to the new user interface (although you can switch back). In my travels, I have seen zero info that would even imply a timetable. A Guy

Something you may not know.....
Many hotmail users had been switched to Outlook.com AUTOMATICALLY by Microsoft without their consent.
Windows Live forum moderators insist that those users were notified in advance of the " switch over ".
Worst, those being switched over withouy their consent are not able to switch back to hotmail.
MS want everyone switch to Outlook.com. We all realize that. But this tactic is distasteful, to put it mildly.

t-4-2

 

[A Guy]

I did not know that. That kind of behavior rankles me, especially as Hotmail is not near the best free web based email available. I tried the Outlook.com interface, but quickly switched back as I prefer the classic Hotmail look for easy navigation. It would not be a horrible change, but one I would choose to delay as long as possible. Thanks for the info. A Guy