Microsoft is bringing a version of its
Office software to Android phones, but it is keeping the app off Android
tablets just as it isn’t making a version for iPads.
The company made the software available
Wednesday through Google’s online Play store. It requires a US$100-a-year
subscription to Office.
The new offering follows the release of an
iPhone version in June. Like the other mobile application, the new Android
software is designed for lightweight use. For example, you can use it to view
and edit an attachment sent by email.
Microsoft is trying to make its Office 365
subscription more compelling, without removing an advantage that tablet
computers running Microsoft’s Windows system.
The release of this app because of we’re
committed to keep providing additional value for Office 365 subscribers.
“Office 365 subscribers will now be able to access, view, and edit Word, Excel
and PowerPoint documents with Windows Phone, iPhone and Android phones.”
Microsoft is pushing subscriptions as a way
to get customers to keep paying for a product that was historically sold in a
single purchase. However, a subscription can be more expensive than buying the
package outright for just one or two computers.
The company has a version for iPads and
Android tablets, called Office Web Apps, but that runs on a Web browser and
requires a constant online connection. Microsoft said it designed Office Mobile
for Android phones specifically for the phone’s smaller screen, even though many
people will prefer editing documents on a tablet’s larger screen. The new Android software is an app that gets
installed on the phone and can work offline.
With a subscription, customers typically
get to use Office on up to 10 devices. Five of them can be Windows or Mac
computers or Windows tablets. The other five can be iPhones or Android phones.
Windows phones come with Office installed and do not count toward the limit.
The new software requires
Android 4.0 or later — the Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean flavors of Google’s
operating system. At first, it’s available only in the US, though Microsoft
plans to expand to 117 markets with versions in more than 30 languages.
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