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​Amazon launching email service

Amazon is taking on Microsoft's Outlook and is launching a new email service
Amazon strikes Google and Microsoft, launching new email service 01:13

Amazon is getting into the email business.

WorkMail will be Amazon's foray into corporate email hosting and document storage, competing directly with Microsoft and Google's enterprise suites.

As CNET's Bridget Carey pointed out, the service runs on the back end of your email, so you can still access your mailbox through Outlook or the email app on your smartphone. "This is the stuff behind the scenes."

The email client will dovetail with Amazon WorkDocs, the company's file-sharing services.

Known as a retailer, Amazon already has its fingers in web hosting. "Even Netflix is powered by Amazon," Carey told CBS News.

But the company has certainly gotten a lot of attention for reaching into new areas recently, including food delivery, travel booking, home services and even feature film production.

Amazon touts WorkMail's ease of integration, security and encryption, large mailboxes, and low prices, which are competitive with Google and Microsoft. Users can sign up now to preview the email client, which will reportedly launch in the next quarter.

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