Microsoft Launching Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iPad Today

[MisakixMikasa]

So $79 is better than $59? I only ask because I chose Pages with MathType over Office while working on my Masters, partly because it was less expensive. I think I did my math right....

79 gives you 2 computers and 2 mobile device for 4 years. Yeah, I think you are doing your math wrong. How many computers can you install MathType? If you can directly type mathematical formulas and equations directly on Office, why would you even bother to,switch between two different app to accomplish same task?

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Heartily agree. I would at least try the suite for the heck of it if it was free. As it is, I wouldn't bother downloading the thing and have it taking up hard drive space. I pay Apple enough already to bother paying Microsoft a 365 subscription.

You have 1 month free trail.... You just need to sign up for it

 

[sportsfrk214]

Too bad, because these apps actually look really nice, and I have a lot of use for Office. I would be more than willing to pay $20 each for these apps. Unfortunately, the subscription is a non-starter for me. It makes these apps 100% undesirable to me, and I'm sure to many others. I have no doubt there are many people with 365 subscriptions who will be very happy, but my guess is that the vast majority of users will still with iWork on their iPads, as I will.

 

[mdelvecchio]

Good stuff. As much as I hate to admit it Microsoft really does and always has done Office applications far better than Apple.

if by better you mean "convoluted, bloated, and irksome to use", then yes, far better...

 

[Virtua1]

buy once, or no deal

Dear Microsoft,

You do monitor these forums, so this is for your marketing and research feedback. Your company was (arguably is) the market leader in operating systems and office software. So you charge what the market will bear. That is your right. But you also tend to overcharge, and offer incremental updates on software at premium prices.

So through time, it became, "as soon as I find a viable alternative to some Microsoft products, I will jump ship."

Now I've been using OpenOffice and iWork for over a decade, and have invested in Apple products and (timewise) the Linux operating system. I would like to use, and still use some Microsoft products, but the competition has become frankly too good and too attractive a value proposition to ignore.

I will not subscribe to or rent software. I buy it to use. So even if you charged $75 for MS Office for iOS, I would complain about the price, but would likely buy it. I would even buy an update, if it offered a compelling reason to do so. But I absolutely, positively will not rent it, or even bother with the "free" read-only versions.

These are the terms of my software agreement.

I suspect that if you charged a one-time, reasonable price, you would
gain new customers, retain old ones, and generate income from this
faster than you can say, "irrelevance".


(note to Adobe, this goes for you too.)

 

[scottsjack]

There's a special place in hell for whoever thought up Office 365.

Exactly. I've got two Office 2011 licenses and one Office 2010 license.

As soon as MS releases a two-machine issue to Office 2013 I am ready. I'll also be ready to buy when Office for Mac is updated and a three-machine Home and Student is released.

As for single machine versions or subscriptions forget it. iWorks will due in that case.

 

[gpsouza]

Hate is a strong word. I am venting extreme frustration at subscription only software. To be clear, I am not actually wishing someone be sent to a hell, it is just a common expression of extreme displeasure.

I actually do own, and paid for, a full legal copy of Adobe CS6 and enjoy it very much. Before that I had CS1, also a full paid legal copy. Upgrading from CS1 to CS6 was great. Even though it is not as expensive, I had a similar upgrade path by using Filemaker 9 for many years, and now just bought Filemaker 13; which is awesome.

So I am perfectly willing to buy expensive software when I can financially, and when my needs justify it. However, I detest having to rent software and then the very moment I can no longer pay I am shut out. To me that is bad business.

I do understand that subscription software is attractive to businesses and enterprises, since they can list it as a monthly expense; or if they pay for a year in advance they can amortize that expense month by month for that year. So by all means offer the option of subscription software to those who want it, but it is another thing entirely to offer only subscription software.

Autodesk is a good example of a balanced approach; they offer both subscription software and a standalone copy of nearly all their software. I would very much like to see both Microsoft and Adobe take this approach.

Perhaps hate was a wrong choice of words, but you got what I mean.

I, too, hate subscription because at the end of a year or so I will pay more than a normal copy. But there's still the advantage of only pay when you need.

I guess only time will tell if this is a good method or not, seems to be working since every company nowadays do this, unfortunately for us.

 

[HenryDJP]

Heartily agree. I would at least try the suite for the heck of it if it was free. As it is, I wouldn't bother downloading the thing and have it taking up hard drive space. I pay Apple enough already to bother paying Microsoft a 365 subscription.

Yeah, I thought that was odd too. I downloaded all three apps to see how well they work and they are read-only? Microsoft could at least allow potential customers to create full documents to get an idea if they need Office's features and just disable the Save feature, requiring the 365 subscription to unlock it.

 

[JHankwitz]

I can't see any iPad users wanting this when they already have access to the best mobile productivity tools in Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

The millions of people that are forced to use MS Office at work may find this useful. It will also allow many companies to buy iPads and not have to deal with MS System 8 on Microsoft tablets, or whatever they're called. Our company is doing everything it can to avoid using MS System 8.

 

[Quu]

£7.99 a month for Office 365 for home. They are joking right? That is more than a Netflix subscription.

What is Microsoft smoking? It must be really strong ****.

 

[Liquorpuki]

So people will no longer spend $100 for software

But they'll fork out $50 for a smart cover, which is basically a piece of polyeurethane with a magnet.

Nice work Apple, convincing people that software is worthless while making it normal to buy $1000 hardware with a 50% profit margin

 

[MisakixMikasa]

Yeah, I thought that was odd too. I downloaded all three apps to see how well they work and they are read-only? Microsoft could at least allow potential customers to create full documents to get an idea if they need Office's features and just disable the Save feature, requiring the 365 subscription to unlock it.

You just need to sign up with your hotmail account for 1 month free trail. It isn't that hard to find out right? right??????

 

[gpsouza]

So $79 is better than $59? I only ask because I chose Pages with MathType over Office while working on my Masters, partly because it was less expensive. I think I did my math right....

Yes. It's pretty much wrong, unless you are only interested in MathType, which is totally fine.

For 79 you get to use Office on 2 PC's or Mac, 2 tablets, get 20gb online storage and 60 Skype Minutes every month. All this for 4 years, updates included. When MathType releases a new update, you'll probably have to pay.

And more, if you write your thesis with Pages + MathType you gonna have a bad time exporting it to doc, it always ends up a mess.

 

[petvas]

That's optimized for iPhone, not the iPad.

No, it's optimized for the iPad also.

 

[h1r0ll3r]

Read Only for free... Goodnight.

seriously....WTF? You can use numerous other apps to just read docs and such. Seems like such a waste.

 

[JHankwitz]

Say no to software rentals.

Well, that eliminates Microsoft Office and Adobe CS. There will be many more to follow.

 

[Tiger8]

I can't see any iPad users wanting this when they already have access to the best mobile productivity tools in Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

Speak for yourself please. There are hundreds of thousands of corporate users who have been asking for this for years.

It's great news for Apple, btw.

 

[iSee]

*Citation needed

Well, you can look a Microsoft's site yourself and see that they sell such things as Office Home & Student, Office Home 365 Premium, etc.

(BTW, you should probably provide citations for your own claims before you start asking for them.)

But I remenber when buying Office was so common that reviews for consumer PCs would quote the price of the reviewed PC including the cost of bundling Office.

 

[HenryDJP]

You just need to sign up with your hotmail account for 1 month free trail. It isn't that hard to find out right? right??????

what exactly is your problem man? Seriously.

 

[petvas]

I'm sorry, Microsoft, but the flight left some time ago. Mr Ballmer decided that his "precious" was not to be on it.

Unfortunately for you - time, having flown, can not be recalled.

Thank you for your interest in Mobility Airlines. Have a nice day.

I would suggest you have a good look at what Microsoft is trying to do here..

 

[Jimmy James]

I'd rather use an inferior product than pay for a subscription.

 

[petvas]

I'd rather use an inferior product than pay for a subscription.

I'd rather not. I want to use the best tools if I need them. iWork is ok, but Office is much much better.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Well, you can look a Microsoft's site yourself and see that they sell such things as Office Home & Student, Office Home 365 Premium, etc.

(BTW, you should probably provide citations for your own claims before you start asking for them.)

But I remenber when buying Office was so common that reviews for consumer PCs would quote the price of the reviewed PC including the cost of bundling Office.

Times have changed, though.

Consumers don't buy PCs like they used to. Office isn't a big draw either.

Yes... you can buy Office Home and Student at Best Buy for $139

I wonder how many copies they sell today?

 

[Bearxor]

Dear Microsoft,

You do monitor these forums, so this is for your marketing and research feedback. Your company was (arguably is) the market leader in operating systems and office software. So you charge with the market will bear. That is your right. But you also tend to overcharge, and offer incremental updates on software at premium prices.

So through time, it became, "as soon as I find a viable alternative to some Microsoft products, I will jump ship."

Now I've been using OpenOffice and iWork for over a decade, and have invested in Apple products and (timewise) the Linux operating system. I would like to use, and still use some Microsoft products, but the competition has become frankly too good and too attractive a value proposition to ignore.

I will not subscribe to or rent software. I buy it to use. So even if you charged $75 for MS Office for iOS, I would complain about the price, but would likely buy it. I would even buy an update, if it offered a compelling reason to do so. But I absolutely, positively will not rent it, or even bother with the "free" read-only versions.

These are the terms of my software agreement.

I suspect that if you charged a one-time, reasonable price, you would
gain new customers, retain old ones, and generate income from this
faster than you can say, "irrelevance".


(note to Adobe, this goes for you too.)

I feel you, bro.

But you're just fighting the inevitable.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

This is about enterprise not consumer. Long term it's good for iPad & MS both. It's not something consumers will buy into & MS doesn't care b/c it's not where its bread is buttered.

 

[JoeRito]

I believe Apple needs the competition so as not to rest on their laurels with iWork apps. I like Pages and Numbers, but they really need a bit more functionality. Keynote is very nice already.