Office accounts for about a third of Microsoft’s annual revenue, according to the New York Times, so letting people access it for free is a big risk. The move is a big shift for the software giant, which has continually charged for Office even as free productivity apps have proliferated in recent years.
Making full use of the apps previously required a subscription to Office 365, which starts at $70 per year. Office users will now be able to create and edit documents in Word, Excel and PowerPoint on iPhone, iPad and Android devices at no cost.
Microsoft Office, long the standard-bearer of premium software, is now free on mobile devices, the company announced Thursday.