14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft Office continues to be Redmond's number one cash cow, so the amount of improvements that this software solution has received in the last few months isn't at all surprising. But today's news surely is.
Office will be completely free for iPhone, iPad, and Android users, which basically allows customers to edit and share documents from their mobile devices without the need for an Office 365 subscription.
Microsoft Office for iPad and iPhone was launched earlier this year with a freeware license, but users who wanted to get editing capabilities had no other choice than to purchase an Office 365 subscription.
Starting today, all features are available at absolutely no charge, so editing documents in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint doesn't cost a thing, no matter if you have an Office 365 subscription or not. The news comes only a few days after Microsoft's partnership with Dropbox for Office integration, so it's pretty clear that Redmond is working hard to improve the productivity suite and make it available for as many users as possible.
“With Office on nearly every device, it’s incredibly important to us that customers have a consistent experience and the ability to do more–anywhere and everywhere,” John Case, corporate vice president, Microsoft Office, was quoted as saying.
Updated Office for iPad and iPhone
Today's news also comes with updates for iPad and iPhone users, that enable them to benefit from the now freeware capabilities of the Office suite even easier.
Microsoft hasn't provided a detailed changelog of the new versions, but it has revealed that the new apps aimed at Apple users come with improvements that allow easy editing in all supported apps, making inserting tables and charts in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint smoother.
Even though no Office 365 subscription is now required, customers who have one benefit from even more advanced editing capabilities and a few other options that aren't yet available for those who install the free version. For example, chart management options and tools to track changes made to documents are only available to paid customers.
Office for Android tablets also available as preview
In addition to all these improvements, Microsoft has also revealed that Android tablet users can now try Office as well, as a preview version for their devices is also up for grabs.
Not much is known at this point, but the application works really smoothly and comes with the essential tools to make use of documents straight from an Android tablet.
Users who want to give this version a try need to go over to this page and sign up for the preview. Needless to say, some bugs and issues could still be experienced, so no need to freak out if you find some.
The final version of Office for Android is expected to be announced in early 2015, Microsoft says.
