Microsoft unveils modern UI & new Android app for SkyDrive; Outlook.com now at 10M users

Microsoft has unveiled a new version of its SkyDrive cloud storage service and a new SkyDrive Android app, the company announced today. It also revealed the new Outlook.com email service has attracted 10 million users since its launch two weeks ago.

SkyDrive is Microsoft’s cloud-storage play, and it competes side-by-side with services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and SugarSync. SkyDrive has taken on increased importance in the past year because it connects deeply to other Microsoft products, including Office 2013, Windows Phone, and Windows 8.

The updated interface for SkyDrive.com shares many similarities with Outlook.com, which replaced the Hotmail brand and now has 10 million users in a matter of weeks. Like Outlook, SkyDrive emphasizes a clean and modern UI. I’d call it “Metro” design, but Microsoft has ditched that term and frustratingly hasn’t replaced it.

The updated UI adds new features like instant search, a contextual toolbar, drag-and-drop, and better sorting. The new design will roll out in the next 24 hours. Take a look at the new modern UI for SkyDrive below.

On top of changing the web interface, Microsoft has improved the SkyDrive desktop apps for Windows and OS X. It has made some under-the-hood tweaks to give users faster uploads and fixed some bugs. Microsoft also improved bulk photo uploads.

Microsoft has also promised a revamped mobile experience that will match the desktop and web, and a new Android app will hit the Google Play store in just a few weeks. Microsoft writes:

The Android app is similar to our mobile apps for Windows Phone and iOS and allows you to browse your SkyDrive, upload files to SkyDrive, as well as share SkyDrive files with “Send a link.” You’ll also be able to open SkyDrive files from other apps, as well as upload, save, and share to SkyDrive from other apps.

Here’s a look at the Android app.

Check out the new SkyDrive in the video below.

SkyDrive photos: Microsoft

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