Microsoft Testing Free Office Suite for Select Users
Microsoft is reportedly experimenting with a free, ad-supported version of its Office suite. This new offering, currently being tested in certain countries like India, could provide users with basic access to popular applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, without the need for a paid subscription.
According to reports, users in the test phase are seeing ads displayed primarily in the right sidebar of the applications. There have also been instances of 15-second video ads appearing after several hours of use. It’s important to note that this free version reportedly lacks full functionality, including the ability to save documents directly to OneDrive, as local file storage has been disabled.
The move could allow Microsoft to attract more users to its platform while still maintaining the premium appeal of its paid Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Despite the apparent benefits, the free version has some limitations. Users will reportedly miss out on key features such as drawing and design tools in Word, add-ins, pivot tables, and macros in Excel, and dictation and custom slideshows in PowerPoint.
Microsoft has acknowledged that the free version is still in a closed testing phase, and there is no immediate plan for a public launch. This suggests the tech giant is exploring different strategies within the market.
Disclaimer: This article is based on reports from the Economic Times and information available to the public.
