AppleInsider Staff
On the heels of Office for iPad's introduction, Microsoft on Thursday dropped subscription requirements for the iPhone version of its productivity suite.
While most media attention was spent on Microsoft's Office for iPad debut, the company also updated its Office Mobile app for iPhone, making the software free for home use. The price drop also applies to the app's Android version.
The update's release notes, which only list free pricing for home use and bug fixes as changes, suggest Microsoft will continue to require Office 365 subscriptions for businesses using the mobile software. Current fees are set at $99 per year or monthly installments of $9.99.
Microsoft's decision to remove Office Mobile's subscription restrictions follows a trend from competitors like Apple, which in September made the iWork for iOS suite free with a new iOS device purchase. Google also has a free set of mobile apps, including QuickOffice for Android.
Microsoft Office Mobile weighs in at 49.2MB and is free to download from the iOS App Store.
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
21 Comments
The game is afoot.
Probably bloat and bug ware
Have to say I was eagerly waiting to see Office on my iPad. Finally it is here!! Downloaded it quickly to see my documents. Hold on...is it real. Well, sort of. Actually, not so much. The let down was hard. Sorry, but at least for some of my Powerpoint presentations, PPT for iPad does not preserve formatting. But I could live with that - if I could edit it. Pretty much useless without the mandatory Office 365 subscription at 9.99 per month. Comparatively, Pages, Numbers and Keynote are still looking pretty good.
i know some people love office- but for $100 a year, or $10 a month? it is going to be constantly upgraded? when i buy software, i want to pay once.
and i am not a fan of microsoft's quote to "empower people to be more productive" and to "do more across all devices"
as if none of us could ever do that much work before, we were so severely limited. thank you, oh benevolent microsoft! here is my yearly penance of $100 for not being productive last year.
This is too much! How many posts today on this MS Office here in AppleInsider?