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Microsoft to offer Office 2010 on Free Download
Microsoft will be demonstrating the power of the new look Office 2010 tomorrow at the Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans.
The technical preview of Office 2010 will easily match if not eclipse the anticipation of Microsoft’s other software announcements in Windows 7 and Windows Mobile 6.5 which are also set to feature at the conference. The Office suite contributes a significant amount of revenue to Microsoft’s bottom line, and with the expectation of free downloadable versions of Office 2010, the transition from desktop application to cloud will be closely scrutinised.
One thing is clear; Microsoft will not be giving away the complete Office package for free. Much though the company is desperate to compete with Google, such a sacrifice would be too risky for the accountants’ profit margins. Instead, a streamlined, simpler version of key programmes such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint will be offered in the Microsoft cloud.
In an interview with eWeek, Gartner analyst Tom Austin said: “They’re using this as a weapon against Google”. Mr Austin said that the risk for Microsoft is that adding more applications to their cloud will boost revenue but could squeeze profit margins. In this day and age however, capturing market share is key to ensuring continued profitability.
Microsoft can afford to take a bit of a hit in profits made by software development, if as a consequence their market share increases sufficiently to increase the effectiveness of their online advertising strategy. Switching to a model more like Google’s, Microsoft can recapture lost margins with more internet advertising which is going out to a much wider base audience.
Google Chrome OS is going to go after Windows customers, and so as Google moves to become more like Microsoft, so too should Microsoft shift its emphasis to be more like Google with free applications. The digital media playing field is wide open for 2010, it will be a struggle of the internet’s two great superpowers.
Corporate Internet news posted by David Finklehorn on 14 July 2009
Comments
Thank you
It is about time someone put the customer and consumer above the almighty dollar. This will help me a lot expecially during school again. Thanks.
Comment posted by Anonymous on 14/07/2009 02:10:43
More real free Microsoft apps
I have said it somewhere that Microsoft can do a lot by giving out some of its cherished apps out there. There are a lot of people who are so poor that it is difficult for them to buy them, especially in Africa and in the developing world. So this is welcome news but still it will be out of reach of a lot more people who do not have access to dedicated internet facilities.
Comment posted by Anonymous on 14/07/2009 06:57:34
Great going guys (Microsoft)
It's a great move by Microsoft to unveil the free version of Office 2010, especially in a recession-oriented economy!!! Three cheers to Microsoft.
Comment posted by Firdous Khan on 15/07/2009 04:40:08
Open
I have been using Open Office for years. For those who want the same thing - an Office but with slightly different looks - then Open Office from Sun will do the trick.
Comment posted by Anonymous on 23/07/2009 01:27:09
Waiting to check it out
That's great news. I like to download and check how it works.
Comment posted by Anonymous on 05/08/2009 04:21:17
That's great news. I'd like to download it and check how it works.
Comment posted by Anonymous on 22/10/2009 13:13:21
