You
can now use Word, Excel and Powerpoint for free
Microsoft Office, long the standard-bearer of
premium software, is now free on mobile devices, the company announced Thursday. Office users will now be
able to create and edit documents in Word, Excel and PowerPoint on iPhone, iPad
and Android devices at no cost. Making full use of the apps previously required
a subscription to Office 365, which starts at $70 per month.
The move is a big shift for the
software giant, which has continually charged for Office even as free
productivity apps have proliferated in recent years. Office accounts for about
a third of Microsoft’s annual revenue, according to theNew York Times, so letting people access it for free
is a big risk. However, the company will continue to charge for access to
Office on laptops and desktops and will make some features on the mobile apps
only accessible to premium users. Enterprise customers will still have to pay
as well.
The free versions of Office for
iPhone and iPad are available today. The
Android version is available as a preview and will get a full release in 2015.
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