Microsoft takes Office Mobile for iPhone free on launch of Office for iPad

Posted:
in iPhone edited April 2014
On the heels of Office for iPad's introduction, Microsoft on Thursday dropped subscription requirements for the iPhone version of its productivity suite.

Office Mobile


While most media attention was spent on Microsoft's Office for iPad debut, the company also updated its Office Mobile app for iPhone, making the software free for home use. The price drop also applies to the app's Android version.

The update's release notes, which only list free pricing for home use and bug fixes as changes, suggest Microsoft will continue to require Office 365 subscriptions for businesses using the mobile software. Current fees are set at $99 per year or monthly installments of $9.99.

Microsoft's decision to remove Office Mobile's subscription restrictions follows a trend from competitors like Apple, which in September made the iWork for iOS suite free with a new iOS device purchase. Google also has a free set of mobile apps, including QuickOffice for Android.

Microsoft Office Mobile weighs in at 49.2MB and is free to download from the iOS App Store.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    howiehowie Posts: 68member
    The game is afoot.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    Probably bloat and bug ware
  • Reply 3 of 21
    Have to say I was eagerly waiting to see Office on my iPad. Finally it is here!! Downloaded it quickly to see my documents. Hold on...is it real. Well, sort of. Actually, not so much.

    The let down was hard. Sorry, but at least for some of my Powerpoint presentations, PPT for iPad does not preserve formatting. But I could live with that - if I could edit it. Pretty much useless without the mandatory Office 365 subscription at 9.99 per month.

    Comparatively, Pages, Numbers and Keynote are still looking pretty good.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    revenantrevenant Posts: 621member

    i know some people love office- but for $100 a year, or $10 a month?  it is going to be constantly upgraded? when i buy software, i want to pay once.

     

    and i am not a fan of microsoft's quote to "empower people to be more productive" and to "do more across all devices"

     

    as if none of us could ever do that much work before, we were so severely limited.  thank you, oh benevolent microsoft! here is my yearly penance of $100 for not being productive last year.

  • Reply 5 of 21
    chandra69chandra69 Posts: 638member

    This is too much!  How many posts today on this MS Office here in AppleInsider?

  • Reply 6 of 21
    I don't get it, HOW do you sign-up for free home use?! The app wants an existing account, and there is no link to create the free account! FAIL. :(
  • Reply 7 of 21
    jpellinojpellino Posts: 697member
    This is some sort of cruel joke, right?

    How about Office on your iPad. For free.

    Try OnLive Desktop. Windows included.
  • Reply 8 of 21

    No thanks. I don't want anything MS on my iMac, iDevices, in my car, in my home or in my life.

     

    MS you screwed it by supplying subpar software! :)

     

    Best

  • Reply 9 of 21

    This is a joke, the app is free but STILL requires a subscription, HOW MISLEADING CAN THEY BE?!

  • Reply 10 of 21
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    No thanks. I don't want anything MS on my iMac, iDevices, in my car, in my home or in my life.

    MS you screwed it by supplying subpar software! :)

    Best
    I feel the same way about Google.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    hittrj01hittrj01 Posts: 753member
    This is a joke, the app is free but STILL requires a subscription, HOW MISLEADING CAN THEY BE?!
    You've clearly never used Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, et al, have you?
  • Reply 12 of 21
    hspanhshspanhs Posts: 24member
    There are people who in their profession are supposed to use Office. For them, this must be great and paying a monthly subscription will then be OK. Otherwise, staying with the wonderful iWork suite from Apple is something I'd recommend.

    It is the same with Adobe and their Creative Cloud system. If you are a professional, I am sure you do need this even if it will cost you quite a bit. The software is completely outstanding. If you do not like the subscription system, which gives you the latest updates constantly, then you are not that much of a professional and should turn to some other companies, making other pieces of software.

    Personally I dislike a lot of comments here and in lots of other places. Some people aggressively try to force their own, personal ideas down other people's throats. Why? Use and buy whatever you want and need and let other persons make their own decisions.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hspanhs View Post



    There are people who in their profession are supposed to use Office. For them, this must be great and paying a monthly subscription will then be OK. Otherwise, staying with the wonderful iWork suite from Apple is something I'd recommend.



    It is the same with Adobe and their Creative Cloud system. If you are a professional, I am sure you do need this even if it will cost you quite a bit. The software is completely outstanding. If you do not like the subscription system, which gives you the latest updates constantly, then you are not that much of a professional and should turn to some other companies, making other pieces of software.



    Personally I dislike a lot of comments here and in lots of other places. Some people aggressively try to force their own, personal ideas down other people's throats. Why? Use and buy whatever you want and need and let other persons make their own decisions.

    Pot calling the kettle black???

     

    Microsoft Office is only considered "professional" software because people like you say it is. Adobe's software suite is the same bloated software that people who call themselves professionals insist they have to use. Monthly subscriptions are new and aren't something I never had to deal with when I was a professional managing a large in-house publishing system. We always bought our software and determined when we wanted to upgrade. We also ran software on closed systems so Office 365 and other software that requires access to the internet wouldn't work for us. There are a lot of companies that are in this situation and forcing them to change to use a constant heroin-type charging system only helps the pusher (Microsoft and Adobe). 

     

    Microsoft now says they are giving away a free year subscription to Office 365 for the iPad but I wonder what happens when the year is up. How much will they charge to get to your documents? Once you start down this road, you have to continue paying them or totally give up using their software. I still have Illustrator CS4 loaded on my 10.9 system although I refuse to install Java 6 to run it. I've found alternatives to all Adobe software except Reader to print out USPS labels (they use an Adobe-specific feature for the 2D/3D barcode). 

     

    These are my opinions, which I am free to make, especially on this forum because that's what forums are for. You are not required to read them or comment on them but I can make them. If this bothers you, then don't come back.

  • Reply 14 of 21
    pogo007pogo007 Posts: 43member
    I think people on Appleinsider have a real problem understanding the concept of the subscription model of Office 365. Everybody on here says it's crap, well it's not. I bought the subscription. With the subscription comes 5 licenses, which can be given to 4 of your friends. You can associate the Microsoft accounts of four of your friends, they each manage there licenses independently and have there own management portal. One license include 1 computer, 1 tablet and 1 phone. It costs us 20$ each a year which is very cheap. Plus they include 20GB of online storage for every user plus 60 minutes of skype. It's actually a very good deal.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TBell View Post





    I feel the same way about Google.

    Agreed. Although, I admit, I use Google Search. Begrudgingly! I dislike MS more than Google so I don't use Bing.

     

    I try to use Siri as much as possible. (I know, Siri uses Bing-but it's feel the same as on a desktop)

     

    I would use an Apple Search Engine even if it wasn't on par with Google. 

     

    Best.

  • Reply 16 of 21
    That has nothing to do with Microsoft's release notes which say "Office Mobile for iPhone is now free for home use.", which is a bald faced lie!!!
    hittrj01 wrote: »
    You've clearly never used Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, et al, have you?
  • Reply 17 of 21
    I would buy, nut not a chance I'm subscribing. I've resisted going all-in with Pages and Numbers, but I'm getting close.
  • Reply 18 of 21
    Can you print from the iPad Version of Office???????
  • Reply 19 of 21
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member

    Numbers is inferior to Excel- bar none. This is a no-brainer for me.

  • Reply 20 of 21
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    pazuzu wrote: »
    Numbers is inferior to Excel- bar none. This is a no-brainer for me.

    Numbers is not as sophisticated or as capable for true spreadsheet functionality, but it has its place. It's also much better looking, so designers like it. I'd really like to see Apple devote more time making Numbers more "pro" so I could get rid of Excel.
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