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Microsoft is all set to launch its new Office software.
The ‘New Office’ will be launched in India tonight, according to a statement made by the company on Twitter. This version will be launched in New York and simultaneously other regions will follow suit.
Microsoft India officials declined to comment on the Indian launch when contacted. The beta version of the software was first announced in July last year by CEO Steve Ballmer, and comes after 18 months after the launch of Office 2011 in September 2010.
The New Office comes with in-touch screen capability, collaboration, social networking, cloud computing capabilities, and has retained access through mouse and keyboard .
Ballmer had talked about three new Office 365 subscription services, which need an Internet connection and are based on a pay as per use basis. Each new subscription will include the new editions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access.
This, according to company officials, is because of the changing behaviour of users who prefer to access applications on a need-basis rather than investing in software that they do not use. Industry watchers are of the view that since competitors Google and Apple are increasingly eating into Microsoft’s share, they need to take radical steps to stay ahead.
Revenues
At the end of fiscal year 2012, Microsoft business division posted $6.29 billion in revenues, up 7 per cent, and revenues from Windows decreased 1 per cent to $4.15 billion, prompting the company to launch its new version of Windows 8 operating system in October .
While Microsoft has not officially announced the price of the new software, according to Indian distributors, the company may price it in the range of $140-400 — for a home user to a professional user of the new software. Similarly, a user of Office 365 will have to pay in the range of $5-99 depending on options such as monthly, yearly, or per software basis. Microsoft has maintained that the on-premise software will continue to be installed, managed and licensed on a per-device basis.
venkatesh.ganesh@thehindu.co.in
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