Microsoft Office 2021 Coming to macOS and Windows Later This Year

[MacRumors]

Microsoft today announced the upcoming launch of Office 2021, which is set to launch later this year for both Windows and Mac machines. The 2021 version of the software is aimed at customers who do not want to use the cloud-based Microsoft 365 options.

There's no detail on the features that might be included in Office 2021, but Microsoft plans to support it for five years through its one-time purchase model. More detail will be provided closer to when the software launches.

Office 2021 will be accompanied by Office LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel), which is a new version of Microsoft Office that's being introduced for commercial customers.

The software is designed for regulated devices that cannot accept feature updates for years at a time or for devices that are not connected to the internet. Like the one-time purchase Office 2021, Office LTSC will be supported for five years.

Microsoft says that it is committed to serving customers who need or prefer one-time purchase software, even though the cloud is where the company invests and innovates.

Article Link: Microsoft Office 2021 Coming to macOS and Windows Later This Year

 

[neoelectronaut]

Now if we can just get Adobe to do the same.

 

[Rafagon]

I hope native M1 also.

 

[retta283]

I hope native M1 also.

It would be a critical oversight if they didn't make it native. Wasted release in that case imo. I'm looking forward to this one because I hate subscriptions for apps and if it isn't M1 native I might skip it though.

 

[tonyr6]

Wonder if it will be an Electron apps.

 

[ArPe]

Now if we can just get Adobe to do the same.

Long term release for creative apps? NO thanks. Creative software is highly complex and adding newer technology on a regular basis. The margin for bugs and errors is always present just as they are in a AAA game title. These need to be updated often! 👏👏

Creative Cloud lets you download previous year releases if you want something that isn’t going to get updated again.

Adobe apps have a preference in each app to download experimental features before release also. People who use them need updates too.

 

[chrfr]

I hope native M1 also.

Office 2019 is already M1 native, so this is a given.

 

[Neepman]

I'm sure regardless of the promise you will be chained to being online 24/7 to use it

 

[DougieS]

The software is designed for regulated devices that cannot accept feature updates for years at a time or for fevices that are not connected to the internet. Like the one-time purchase Office 2021, Office LTSC will be supported for five years

Little typo

 

[sfb1245]

I'm afraid to think how much it will cost. In any case, the office will return without any 365, this is what many have been waiting for.

 

[lucas]

So glad I haven’t needed office in 10+ years

 

[BWhaler]

So happy to have switched to iWork a decade ago. Never looking back.

Sure, it doesn’t do everything, but what it does, it does really well. I wish Apple would make iWork and iCloud enterprise grade. Not to get enterprises, but because we all work in those contexts nowadays.

 

[farmboy]

Wish I could ignore it, but clients communicate especially with Excel, and despite Apple's best effort (or maybe lack of it given the glacial pace of significant new features) often text, formulae and formatting with Numbers do not give the same results in return.

 

[lovehateapple]

This is good news. I'm glad a non-subscription option is available. Hopefully the price is reasonable. On a side note, a few years ago I was looking at finance positions open at Apple and they all required proficiency in MS Excel, which I am, but I thought it was funny they didn't require proficiency in Numbers. I think that says something, lol.

 

[ddtmm]

Microsoft is easing their push on forcing subscriptions with a one-time purchase version? Hell must have frozen over. I'm pretty tired of companies forcing subscription models on people. I think 90% of Office users only need Word and Excel and are lured into buying a ton of additional apps and features they will never need, including their cloud services.

 

[Maconplasma]

Microsoft is easing their push on forcing subscriptions with a one-time purchase version? Hell must have frozen over. I'm pretty tired of companies forcing subscription models on people. I think 90% of Office users only need Word and Excel and are lured into buying a ton of additional apps and features they will never need, including their cloud services.

I absolutely agree with everything you stated. The issue is pirating is what created this subscription model. While I don't like subs myself (especially for Office apps) I can't blame Microsoft. There a lot of people on this very forum that install Windows and use it without activating it. If companies don't make money they can't pay their developers and the customer gets forced into a subscription model.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I hope native M1 also.

Hold on ...

Anyone else notice that Microsoft failed to mention what this new version of Office Suite actually gives it's users other than the LTSC??

We'll want to know what features, changes, UI layout, any advancements or deprecations have been implemented before hoping it's available for M1 etc. remember 'careful what you wish for'

 

[alex2792]

So happy to have switched to iWork a decade ago. Never looking back.

Sure, it doesn’t do everything, but what it does, it does really well. I wish Apple would make iWork and iCloud enterprise grade. Not to get enterprises, but because we all work in those contexts nowadays.

LMAO iWork is a joke for anything more than writing a middle school essay.

 

[alex2792]

This is good news. I'm glad a non-subscription option is available. Hopefully the price is reasonable. On a side note, a few years ago I was looking at finance positions open at Apple and they all required proficiency in MS Excel, which I am, but I thought it was funny they didn't require proficiency in Numbers. I think that says something, lol.

It tells you what everyone already knows, people who want to do real work use Office.

 

[chrfr]

Microsoft is easing their push on forcing subscriptions with a one-time purchase version? Hell must have frozen over.

Microsoft has sold standalone versions of 2011, 2016, and 2019. This is just the next version; there's nothing new with regard to whether or not Microsoft is forcing subscriptions.

 

[sapbasis]

Wish I could ignore it, but clients communicate especially with Excel, and despite Apple's best effort (or maybe lack of it given the glacial pace of significant new features) often text, formulae and formatting with Numbers do not give the same results in return.

Agreed. I found it hard trying to get Numbers to behave the same as EXCEL.

 

[ccsicecoke]

Now bring on Windows 11

 

[The Barron]

I'm still using Word for Mac 2011 Ver. 14.3.8 sans issues. I'll jump on a new iMac with M-1 later this year hopefully and then get the new Word 2021 standalone if the price is right. Otherwise, my old 2011 model is doing quite well.

 

[Stenik]

I absolutely agree with everything you stated. The issue is pirating is what created this subscription model. While I don't like subs myself (especially for Office apps) I can't blame Microsoft. There a lot of people on this very forum that install Windows and use it without activating it. If companies don't make money they can't pay their developers and the customer gets forced into a subscription model.

Poor Microsoft Your post made me so sad.

 

[Scipster]

Glad Microsoft is sticking with the perpetual licenses. I'm running Office 2016 and it still runs great. But I'd definitely upgrade for native M1 and the use of concat in Excel.

Now if we can just get Adobe to do the same.

And I sure hope Adobe returns to that perpetual model, but I doubt it. CS6 and Lightroom are still running strong... not sure what I'll do when Rosetta II disappears...