Microsoft Office is ceasing to run in the same outlook after 30 years. This doesn’t mean that apps such as Word and Excel will be gone; instead, the suite of Microsoft Office tools will be rebranded with an entirely new and well-known title: Microsoft 365.
Microsoft announced these changes during its Ignite conference on Wednesday. In the coming years, Office.com, the Office mobile app, and the Office application for Windows will adopt Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 branding and get new designs and icons. Microsoft 365 is very similar to Microsoft Office, although there are significant distinctions. The main difference is the cost–Microsoft365 is a monthly subscription while Microsoft Office is a one-time purchase with access to updates. Customers who subscribe to Microsoft 365 have the latest updates in their plans, and those who have Microsoft Office have to buy the most current versions of Office.
Microsoft Office was first launched in 1990 and has undergone numerous changes over time–and is still the dominant player in the world of office software. The new color of the Microsoft 365 app logo is very attractive.
For those who do not want to part ways with their old apps, Microsoft said it would continue to offer single-time purchases of applications like Word, Outlook, and Excel for Office 2021 users. That’s likely what retirement is all about for Microsoft.
Jared Spataro attended the event, Microsoft’s corporate vice head for modern work announced his belief that the Microsoft 365 app will come with various new features. It will be a central location for all user-generated documents across Microsoft’s products, including Word and PowerPoint, and let users quickly access the files shared during meetings.
“The brand new Microsoft 365 app is one part of our overall strategy and our focus as a business upon Microsoft 365 and is reflective of the innovative solutions, we’ve worked to bring to the table in the years that work and life continue to change,” Spataro said in an email message. “The new application serves as a hub to all productivity applications Microsoft 365 offers and provides the most simple but powerful experience for our clients as they explore new work styles and patterns of collaboration.”
Microsoft 365 will begin with the release of its services to consumers in November. They stated that the new changes would apply to all Office application users for school, work, or personal use. It will start with Office.com, according to the Microsoft FAQ section. The changes will be made to the Office application for Windows and mobile users in January 2023.
