AppleInsider Staff
It was confirmed on Thursday that Apple will garner its stipulated 30 percent share of Microsoft Office 365 subscriptions purchased from the new Office for iPad app, which launched at a special event earlier today.
At the Office for iPad debut, Microsoft revealed it is using the so-called "freemium" sales model with the suite of productivity apps. In the case of Office, users can download the software for free, but will need to stump $99 per year (or pay a recurring $9.99 per month fee) for a Office 365 subscription if they want to edit documents.
In a statement to Re/code, Apple confirmed it will take the usual 30 percent cut of all Office 365 subscriptions purchased from any Office for iPad app. Apple does not profit from customers who use an existing subscription, or purchase a new subscription from Microsoft's website, to access the Office apps.
Apple's charge to publishers for all in-app sales was thought to be one of the major roadblocks in Microsoft's launch of Office for iPad.
Microsoft on Thursday introduced the long-awaited Office productivity suite for iPad, which includes custom-built versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
AppleInsider was able to spend some hands-on time with the new offerings and came away with the impression that Microsoft made a concerted effort to make the apps feel native to iPad, not just a mere port of existing software.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
53 Comments
And in other news, Tim Cook's personal secretary advises Tim will be unavailable for the entire day as he currently in his office rolling on the floor laughing.
White Flag raised: Resistance was futile.
Why do people care about this? Seem like inside baseball that only tech journalists and maybe some Wall Street analysts would be interested in.
..And why the **** shouldn't they? Office on iPad opens up Microsoft to potentially millions of new customers. iOS devices users are the most lucrative users to have, and the platform is the healthiest of any. Thats the cost of doing business on the most successful appstore in the world.
To quote from http://www.asymco.com/2013/08/26/steve-ballmer-and-the-innovators-curse/ [QUOTE]Steve Ballmer will not be remembered as favorably as the man who created Microsoft. But at least he won't be remembered as the fool who killed it. That epitaph is reserved for his successor.[/QUOTE] It will be very interesting to see how MS handles the next 5 years. The 5 after, more so.
[quote name="Rogifan" url="/t/174575/apple-confirmed-to-take-30-cut-of-microsoft-office-365-subscriptions-purchased-in-office-for-ipad-apps#post_2504049"]Why do people care about this? Seem like inside baseball that only tech journalists and maybe some Wall Street analysts would be interested in.[/quote] People don't. It's fresh meat for the forums. Google ads are waiting to be served.