The online sync with OneDrive is a very clumsy implementation. I'm sure it's smoother on Windows devices. iCloud and iWork are much more seamless. Regardless, nice to have the "real" thing, even if it is subscription based. I think this only helps the iPad.
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Microsoft Office Apps Top App Store Charts One Day After Release
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uknowimright
Suspended
I'm using the apps with my business Office 365 account and they are really quite nice.
I can see why home users won't like the subscription fee, but when comparing it to the $99 I spent on a MobileMe subscription when it launched, Office 365 feels like a bargain 🙂
I can see why home users won't like the subscription fee, but when comparing it to the $99 I spent on a MobileMe subscription when it launched, Office 365 feels like a bargain 🙂
filmbuff
macrumors 6502a
What kind of work are we talking here? I use my iPad for work and hardly ever need office software. When I do iWork works great. I don't see why you would want an Office subscription when iWork can already import and export MS office files.
keysofanxiety
macrumors G3
Most downloaded≠most popular. I'd be willing to bet that most people weren't aware this was subscription based, or simply wanted to take a look at what features it has. The vast majority will probably uninstall it or never use it.
nagromme
macrumors G5
I won't try to justify the subscription model--it can be done fairly or not, and I generally dislike it. (Especially Adobe's model where you can't open your own creative work after lapsing! And where they do far too little to improve their buggy products, for far too high a monthly fee.)
But I will say this looks like good software, and if I need to view an Office attachment I get emailed, I now have an even better way to do so.
So far, when I need to edit an Office document on iPad or even iPhone, I use the app CloudOn. Which (with limits) is free, albeit a little awkward (looks like Windows, not like a modern touch UI)... but it works, and seems to offer ALL (not just most) of the desktop Excel/Word/PowerPoint features. It's pretty slick in its own way.
But I will say this looks like good software, and if I need to view an Office attachment I get emailed, I now have an even better way to do so.
So far, when I need to edit an Office document on iPad or even iPhone, I use the app CloudOn. Which (with limits) is free, albeit a little awkward (looks like Windows, not like a modern touch UI)... but it works, and seems to offer ALL (not just most) of the desktop Excel/Word/PowerPoint features. It's pretty slick in its own way.
AppleScruff1
macrumors G4
I'm sure that one minute is enough time to check out the usefulness of the apps. 🙄
jrswizzle
macrumors 603
If the subscription pricing is $99/year or $9.99/month, how many subscriptions have to be bought for it to beat out $0.99 apps with a few dollars worth of IAPs?
A majority of people who will use these apps are stuck on Office for various reasons. I don't think I'm going out on a limb when I say most of us with a choice will choose the FREE iWork suite - which is already a good alternative when considered by its features and a GREAT alternative considering the value.
Microsoft is too late. It'll be nice when the corporate world doesn't revolve around a suite or programs that aren't even that good or intuitive....
A majority of people who will use these apps are stuck on Office for various reasons. I don't think I'm going out on a limb when I say most of us with a choice will choose the FREE iWork suite - which is already a good alternative when considered by its features and a GREAT alternative considering the value.
Microsoft is too late. It'll be nice when the corporate world doesn't revolve around a suite or programs that aren't even that good or intuitive....
garylapointe
macrumors 68000
You can open in DropBox and tell it to pass it over. (But if it looks find in DropBox why bother!). I assume you can use other apps like Box.net or possibly even open an email attachment to view it in the Microsoft Apps.
At 400MB+ for EACH of the apps that's a lot of space if you really don't need it. Most times I can view it fine in DropBox or the iWork apps.
Gary
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Robert.Walter
macrumors 68040
What can I do with the free ms apps that I can't already do with my similar iOS apps, PNK, from apple?
I think this is the key question as to the value proposition of 99$/yr.
I think this is the key question as to the value proposition of 99$/yr.
petvas
macrumors 603
There are no other built in ways to bring documents to the app, but you can use any other app on your iPad and use the Open With feature to open the document with Microsoft Office.
You could use for example the Dropbox app and from there open your files with Office. Microsoft must not provide any other way and I find it ok.
I know dozens of companies on the Forbes 500 list that are still using legacy apps/hand coded programs in their infrastructure to run their entire business. Some will never be able to update or would be unwilling. These are the same companies that are unlikely to care about switching off Office. And I don't say that as a slight to Office. I am just saying that the corporate world is likely to stay embedded with MS Office and Windows for a very very long time...
arcite
macrumors 65816
Well, if someone works in an environment where Office is the standard, then this is a big help. There was a time not so long ago that even having an apple product was complicated due to cross platform compatibility and domination by windows pc's.
jrswizzle
macrumors 603
I know....but the corporate world is the same group that upgrades once every decade. Likely it'll be another couple of years before many (including mine) get past Office 2007.....
I think it's ridiculous.
The inclusion of Office for iPad is huge for those whose employers who use Office 365.
$99/yr is nothing for a company to expense...but for your casual user $99 is a lot more than free (iWork).
$99/yr is nothing for a company to expense...but for your casual user $99 is a lot more than free (iWork).
petvas
macrumors 603
I am sure that document compatibility is near 100% when using the native apps. Everything renders as it should and that is very important for many people.
People also like to think that Office for iPad costs 99$/year. This is only true if you don't care about what this subscription really offers:
- 5 licenses to install Office for Mac/PC
- Access to the latest Office version for PC and Mac
- 60 Sky minutes per month
- 20GB additional space on OneDrive
- Office for iPad in edit mode
For me it was an easy choice. I cancelled Dropbox (which costed me 8$/year), and for that money I got an Office Home Premium subscription. It offers me so much more than Dropbox alone.
Of course I would prefer to use DropBox instead of OneDrive, but as long as it works ok, then I have no problem with it.
Additionally I use OneNote for my notes, I just love its user interface and the note layout options, even if it lacks in features compared to the Windows version..
All in all, I believe that the value proposition of Microsoft is a very good one. Just try to put things into perspective.
brianvictor7
macrumors 65816
All I can say is good for them and don't come crying when people immediately delete it because it requires a subscription to actually do any work on the apps.
Renzatic
Suspended
It doesn't mean anything of the sort. It just means that Nadella isn't as tied down to the Windows First And Foremost mindset Ballmer was.
AppleScruff1
macrumors G4
It's well worth the money to businesses and families who need it on 5 devices. It probably isn't worth it for a single user on a single device.