Microsoft Office for iPad hits 12M downloads one week after debut

Posted:
in iPad edited April 2014
Microsoft on Thursday announced Office for iPad downloads hit the 12 million mark after just one week of availability, illustrating pent-up demand for an iPad port of the software giant's productivity suite.




After a highly-anticipated debut last week, the Microsoft Office for iPad apps have collectively notched 12 million downloads, according to a tweet from Microsoft's dedicated @Office handle.

The Office suite, including Microsoft Word for iPad, Microsoft Excel for iPad and Microsoft PowerPoint for iPad, rocketed to the top of Apple's iOS App Store charts one day after launch. Currently, the apps stand one-two-three at the top of the iPad App Store's free app rankings, with the go-along Microsoft OneNote for iPad sitting in sixth.

Microsoft's new iPad apps are "freemium" offerings as each requires an in-app subscription purchase to unlock full software capabilities. For Office, users can view documents for free, but need to have an Office 365 subscription to make edits.

Just like other apps distributed through the iOS App Store, Microsoft Office is subject to Apple's usual 30 percent cut of in-app purchases. With Office 365 prices pegged at $99 per year or $9.99 per month, combined with the large number of downloads, Office for iPad apps are among the top grossing titles in the App Store.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 46
    snovasnova Posts: 1,281member

    ...but, but, but all the white-box Android tablets. :???: 

  • Reply 2 of 46
    therfmantherfman Posts: 52member
    But how many of those are actually paying Microsoft to really use the apps vs. "just tryin' it out cause it's free"?
  • Reply 3 of 46
    I'm not surprised. I downloaded OneNote before the whole Office suite was available and love it, but I have no interest in MS word processor or spreadsheet app. I'll stick with Pages and Numbers.
  • Reply 4 of 46
    dreyfus2dreyfus2 Posts: 1,072member
    Quote:


     Just like other apps distributed through the iOS App Store, Microsoft Office is subject to Apple's usual 30 percent cut of in-app purchases.


     

    Well, this should not really hurt MS, as other resellers seem to take about the same (or higher) cut. Amazon sells the Home Premium package for 63 Euros here, and there are various other vendors listing it for below 70 Euros, while the in-app purchase is the most expensive option by far at 99 Euros.

  • Reply 5 of 46
    empiresempires Posts: 20member

    An addict and their smack are not easily parted. Thats all I am saying. :smokey:

  • Reply 6 of 46
    timgriff84timgriff84 Posts: 912member
    I love the way the apps keep getting described as freemium. The subscription is for Office, not just the app. Its more a case that your buying a product that runs on Windows, Mac, Win Phone, iPhone, Android Phone, a browser and now iPad. You'd be a bit pissed if you had to pay extra for the iPad part.

    Calling it freemium makes it sound like all the apps pretending to be free and then charging to do anything useful. In this case the only way to get in on an iPad is via the app store and therefor has to be a fee app. If it was with all the other product downloads on the 365 site, it would technically be exactly the same thing but then not freemium.
  • Reply 7 of 46
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  • Reply 8 of 46
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    therfman wrote: »
    But how many of those are actually paying Microsoft to really use the apps vs. "just tryin' it out cause it's free"?

    I imagine that most are simply testing it but it's a strong start. I just hope this is the start of MS realizing it's a SW company. They started off strong by writing apps for Apple so I like that the past is repeating itself.

    "All this has happened before, and all this will happen again."
  • Reply 9 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Is that 12 million downloads with paid subscription? Currently on the AppStore Word is #10 in the top grossing, but Word, Excel and PowePoint are in the top 5 free. I wonder how many downloaded and then either deleted or aren't using because they find out it requires a subscription.
  • Reply 10 of 46
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    timgriff84 wrote: »
    I love the way the apps keep getting described as freemium. The subscription is for Office, not just the app. Its more a case that your buying a product that runs on Windows, Mac, Win Phone, iPhone, Android Phone, a browser and now iPad. You'd be a bit pissed if you had to pay extra for the iPad part.

    Calling it freemium makes it sound like all the apps pretending to be free and then charging to do anything useful. In this case the only way to get in on an iPad is via the app store and therefor has to be a fee app. If it was with all the other product downloads on the 365 site, it would technically be exactly the same thing but then not freemium.
    Microsoft is pushing the subscription model. And maybe they think they're giving less $$ to Apple than if it was a paid app on the AppStore. I know a number of people who said "no thanks" because they don't want to rent software. Or they use other cloud options at this point and don't want to be tied to OneDrive.
  • Reply 11 of 46
    j1h15233j1h15233 Posts: 274member

    I wonder how many of those 12 million spent any money?

  • Reply 12 of 46

    One of those downloads was mine . . . soon to be deleted, 'cause I ain't gonna pay MS $99 a year when I already have iWork. If Office was sold rather than rented, I might reconsider.

  • Reply 13 of 46
    maccherrymaccherry Posts: 924member

    give me a break. Free worthless app unless you get the subscription service. Who the hell y'all fooling with this hype.

  • Reply 14 of 46
    lilsmirklilsmirk Posts: 38member
    Just like other apps distributed through the iOS App Store, Microsoft Office is subject to Apple's usual <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/03/27/apple-confirmed-to-take-30-cut-of-microsoft-office-365-subscriptions-purchased-in-office-for-ipad-apps">30 percent cut</a> of in-app purchases.
    And this is relevant because...?
  • Reply 15 of 46
    starbird73starbird73 Posts: 538member
    therfman wrote: »
    But how many of those are actually paying Microsoft to really use the apps vs. "just tryin' it out cause it's free"?

    Well, the thing is that you have to take all the sales from word, plus all the sales from excel, then all from PowerPoint. This only gets you how many are done via the iPad apps. Then, anyone who already paid via other means, like myself. Don't forget, the university version is $80 for four years but you have to BYOSubscription, and can't be done in the app.
  • Reply 16 of 46
    emesemes Posts: 239member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by LilSmirk View Post





    And this is relevant because...?



    Because if Apple doesn't win in some way it's not news

  • Reply 17 of 46
    crossladcrosslad Posts: 527member
    I downloaded all three apps. Am I going to pay for any if them? - no. These apps are not the full office suite and contain no more features, and probably less, than iWork for iPad. I would have bought them if it was a one off payment and priced at around half of the price for the Home edition of Office on the mac or pc. It is simply not worth any more than this.
  • Reply 18 of 46
    igrouchoigroucho Posts: 63member

    If Office 2011 is any indication of the quality of the webbversion for iOS it will be a catastrophy. Office 2011 so chockfull of bugs and after all these updates still no relief in sight. It's still beta...

  • Reply 19 of 46
    lilsmirklilsmirk Posts: 38member
    emes wrote: »

    Because if Apple doesn't win in some way it's not news
    There's no "winner". Microsoft gets access to a multimillion user ecosystem and keeps 70% of overall in-app purchases. Apple takes the rest. Can't see no news in here, it's all in the Appstore's ToS.
  • Reply 20 of 46
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    ... thus rendering the Surface even more pointless.
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