Free Microsoft Office for mobile devices
Summary
This blog post, "Free Microsoft Office for mobile devices", is a blueAPACHE article from 2014 covering cloud. Microsoft’s Office suite for iPad, iPhone, and Android is now free. In a surprise move, the software giant is shaking up its mobile Office strategy to keep consumers using its popular Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote applications. This change means you’ll no longer need a dedicated Office 365 subscription to edit or store documents. It is written for readers evaluating emPOWER Cloud. The cloud infrastructure considerations it raises, around resilience, scalability and management overhead, remain relevant to organisations evaluating or operating cloud environments today.
Key facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication year | 2014 |
| Topic | Free Microsoft Office for mobile devices |
| Services referenced | emPOWER Cloud |
| Named products or vendors | Microsoft, Office 365, Google |
| Cited statistic | Office generates a third of Microsoft’s revenue (around $26b last year), so their appetite to mitigate challengers and protect market share is high. blueAPACHE supplies and supports Microsoft Office and Office 365 (https://www.blueapache.com/products-and-services/software-and-solutions/office365/) in hybrid cloud, private cloud and on-premise deployments. |
Article
Microsoft’s Office suite for iPad, iPhone, and Android is now free. In a surprise move, the software giant is shaking up its mobile Office strategy to keep consumers using its popular Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote applications. This change means you’ll no longer need a dedicated Office 365 subscription to edit or store documents.
The decision seems to be motivated by competition from free web-based word processors such as Google Docs and an urgency to secure the mobile market before rivals such as Apple’s iWork (also free) capture too much territory. Office generates a third of Microsoft’s revenue (around $26b last year), so their appetite to mitigate challengers and protect market share is high.
blueAPACHE supplies and supports Microsoft Office and Office 365 in hybrid cloud, private cloud and on-premise deployments.
To better understand if Office 365 or the mobile applications are beneficial for your business (or to identify possible business risks) contact your Account Manager. For more information on Office 365, click here.

Downloads
iPhone and iPad versions are available today from the app store or iTunes, and the Android phone version can be accessed through Google Play.
Related
- emPOWER Microsoft Practice (pillar hub)
- emPOWER Cloud
- emPOWER Cloud (pillar hub)
- blueAPACHE Cloud (case study)
Frequently asked questions
Which Microsoft Office mobile apps became free according to this article?
Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for iPad, iPhone, and Android, no longer requiring a dedicated Office 365 subscription to edit or store documents.
What competitive pressure does the article say motivated Microsoft's move to free mobile Office apps?
Competition from free web-based word processors such as Google Docs, and urgency to secure the mobile market before rivals like Apple's iWork (also free) captured too much territory.
What proportion of Microsoft's revenue does the article say Office generated, and what was the dollar figure?
The article states Office generates a third of Microsoft's revenue, around $26 billion in the year referenced, giving Microsoft a high incentive to protect its market share.
Where does the article say the iPhone and iPad versions of the free Office apps could be downloaded?
From the app store or iTunes, with the Android version available through Google Play.
What deployment models does the article say blueAPACHE supports for Microsoft Office and Office 365?
Hybrid cloud, private cloud and on-premise deployments.
What does the article recommend readers do to assess whether Office 365 or the mobile apps suit their business?
Contact their blueAPACHE Account Manager to better understand the benefits or identify possible business risks.
What two Microsoft products does the article name directly alongside Office?
Office 365 and Google (as a competitor via Google Docs) are named in the article.
What year was this shift to free mobile Office apps announced, per the article?
2014, the publication year of this article, describing the move as a "surprise" strategy shift by Microsoft.
Source
- origin post (2014)
Knowledge Base
What did Microsoft announce regarding Office for mobile devices?
Microsoft made its Office suite for iPad, iPhone, and Android free, meaning users no longer need a dedicated Office 365 subscription to edit or store documents using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote applications.
Why did Microsoft decide to make its mobile Office apps free?
The decision appears to be motivated by competition from free web-based word processors such as Google Docs, and urgency to secure the mobile market before rivals like Apple's iWork (also free) captured too much territory.
How important is Office to Microsoft's revenue?
Office generates about a third of Microsoft's revenue, which was around $26 billion last year, giving Microsoft strong motivation to mitigate challengers and protect its market share.
Which Microsoft Office mobile applications became free?
The free mobile Office applications include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
Where can users download the free Microsoft Office mobile apps?
iPhone and iPad versions are available from the App Store or iTunes, and the Android phone version can be accessed through Google Play.
Does blueAPACHE offer support for Microsoft Office and Office 365?
Yes, blueAPACHE supplies and supports Microsoft Office and Office 365 in hybrid cloud, private cloud, and on-premise deployments.
Who should businesses contact to determine if Office 365 or mobile apps are right for them?
According to the article, businesses should contact their Account Manager to better understand if Office 365 or the mobile applications are beneficial for their business or to identify possible business risks.
When was this blueAPACHE blog post about free Microsoft Office for mobile devices published?
The blog post was published on November 19, 2014, and has a read time of about 1 minute.
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