After using our vocabulary and devices for more than 30 years, “Microsoft Office” is retiring. That’s not to say that apps like Word and Excel are going away, just that the company’s toolkit is taking on a fairly familiar new name: Microsoft 365.
Microsoft Announce the change at her Ignite conference on Wednesday. Over the next few months, Office.com, the Office mobile app, and the Office app for Windows will adopt the Microsoft 365 brand and get new themes and icons. Microsoft 365 is very similar to Microsoft Officealthough there are Key Differences. Bigger this Price — Microsoft 365 is a monthly subscription service, Microsoft Office is a one-time purchase — and access to upgrades. People who subscribe to Microsoft 365 have the latest updates included with their plan, while those with Microsoft Office have to purchase the latest version of the software.
It was Microsoft Office Released for the first time In the 1990s – it has undergone many innovations over the years – it has managed to remain dominant in the workplace software space. Now that I’m retired, a part of me wants to play the dreary violin solo, even though I think the new purple Microsoft 365 app logo is really nice.
For those who don’t want to say goodbye, Microsoft said it will still offer one-time purchases of apps like Word, Outlook and Excel for Office 2021 users and Office LTSC plans. I think that’s what it means to retire at Microsoft.
At the event, Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for modern work, also revealed that the Microsoft 365 app will come with a spate of new features. It will act as a hub for all user files across the company’s products, such as Word and PowerPoint, and will also allow folks to quickly access files shared in meetings.
Furthermore, the Microsoft exec added that the company was launching a feed in the Microsoft 365 app, which will allow users to see things such as their meetings of the day or updates from people they follow, in a nod to social media feeds.
“The new Microsoft 365 app is one part of our larger strategy and focus as a company on Microsoft 365 and is reflective of the innovation we’ve strived to deliver as work and life continue to evolve,” Spataro said in an emailed statement. “The new app serves as a hub for all the productivity apps Microsoft 365 offers and provides a simple, yet powerful experience for our customers as they navigate changing workstyles and collaboration patterns.”
Microsoft 365 will start rolling out to users in November, beginning with Office.com, according to Microsoft’s FAQ page. Meanwhile, changes to the Office app for Windows and mobile devices will come into effect in January 2023.
Microsoft made it clear that the changes will apply to everyone who uses the Office app for work, school, or personal use, almost everyone. But don’t worry, it doesn’t mean that you have to do anything or that anything is going to explode digitally on your end.
There will be no impact on your existing account, profile, subscription or files. The app will automatically update with a new icon and name, so keep an eye out for these changes in November and beyond,” the company stated on its FAQ page.
