Microsoft 365 fully absorbing long-time Office branding

After decades of service, Microsoft is taking steps to fully absorb the Microsoft Office branding, under the Microsoft 365 umbrella across all platforms.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint ceased to be separate apps for iPhone users in 2020, when Microsoft brought a single, unified Office app to the iPhone. That was followed by the iPad version in 2021 — but for now, the MacOS and Windows versions are still called Office.

Starting in November, the company is finishing its Microsoft 365 rebrand, to encompass all platforms that the software suite runs on.

"Over the last couple years, Microsoft 365 has evolved into our flagship productivity suite," said the company in a blog post, "so we are creating an experience to help you get the most out of Microsoft 365."

"In the coming months, Office.com, the Office mobile app, and the Office app for Windows will become the Microsoft 365 app," continued the announcement, "with a new icon, a new look, and even more features."

The new features include Create, which is being described as a "place to quickly start on projects across several Microsoft 365 apps," and is ultimately an extended series of templates.

There's also a new Apps module, which is launching on Windows and online in November. It's about blurring the lines between the different legacy apps such as Word and Excel, and instead lets users "discover, launch, and pin the tools you use the most across Microsoft 365."

As well as this online functionality change in November, the name, logo and design changes will begin that month at office.com. Then the iOS, Android and Windows apps will be rebranded in January 2023.

At the same time, the company is making the Microsoft Office brand obsolete. New features will come to Microsoft 365, but not to the "legacy" Office applications. It's not clear what's going to happen to the standalone applications, nor on what timetable. Microsoft 365 plans start at $6.99 per month.

15 Comments

DAalseth 3066 comments · 6 Years

About 2 years ago

It's not clear what's going to happen to the standalone applications,
Oh i think iI have a good idea. Eventually they want the suite, whatever they call it, to be rental software so you pay, and pay, and pay, for the same mediocrity. Software as Service. Fortunately my Mac is an MS free zone. I use Pages, and if Apple tries the same thing I have OpenOffice/LibreOffice as a backup. I’d just have to come up with an option for the lPad.

22july2013 3736 comments · 11 Years

There're actually 365 and a quarter days in a year, so this proves the adage that Microsoft is always a quarter short.

ilarynx 125 comments · 15 Years

Has anyone had any experience with purchasing MS Office via AppleInsider/StackCommerce ( https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/08/19/flash-deal-get-microsoft-office-for-mac-home-business-2021-for-3999-88-off )?

It seems like a good deal, maybe too good. In the process of the purchase, I'm shown a "Claim My Code" button with a warning that no refunds are available after clicking the button. Do I use this claim code to then go to the MS site to download? It's not spelled out at all on the site.

Anyone been through this before? A good deal? Not?

tht 5654 comments · 23 Years

Why would MS do this to the number 365? What did it do to them? Now we will pour our hatred over 365 instead Office.

wtxnitz 24 comments · 9 Years

ilarynx said:

Has anyone had any experience with purchasing MS Office via AppleInsider/StackCommerce ( https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/08/19/flash-deal-get-microsoft-office-for-mac-home-business-2021-for-3999-88-off )?

It seems like a good deal, maybe too good. In the process of the purchase, I'm shown a "Claim My Code" button with a warning that no refunds are available after clicking the button. Do I use this claim code to then go to the MS site to download? It's not spelled out at all on the site.

Anyone been through this before? A good deal? Not?

I've bought it several times for different machines. So have family and friends. It works, but MS won't let you turn off the snoopware
"monitor for product improvement" I disable all I can. Don't install autoupdate and logoff 365 once activated.

I tried the MS free machine, mostly I succeeded. But had to crack a bit to help someone else.

Numbers is a poor substitute for excel, but I suffer through almost all of my usage to, mostly, avoid MS.