Microsoft really, really wants us to buy Office as a subscription
From Netflix to smart phone apps, tech companies love to chase that recurring income subscription money. Microsoft is no different, joining the charge to sell its Office products as a subscription service. While users have traditionally purchased the Office suite as a one-off perpetual license, the company is pushing customers toward an annual subscription model instead.
Microsoft will no longer sell one-off licenses for Office 2019 as part of its Home Use Program (HUP). The company updated it frequently asked questions page to confirm: “Office Professional Plus 2019 and Office Home and Business 2019 are no longer available as Home Use Program offers.”
The HUP is a program aimed at employees in eligible companies, allowing them to buy the same Microsoft products they use at work to use at home. Previously, employees had been offered discounted rates for perpetual licenses. Now, they will have to purchase a subscription plan with a 30 percent discount, costing $48.99 a year for Office 365 Personal or $69.99 a year for Office 365 Home.
If you already have a perpetual license purchased through the program, it will continue to work. And if you buy a subscription under the new model, you will continue to receive the discount on future renewals even if you leave your current employer.
For now, Microsoft will continue to offer Office 2019 perpetual licenses for users who would rather buy software than rent it. However, the company makes it clear that this is one move in its continuing efforts to nudge users over to an Office 365 subscription instead. It’s not all bad news though.
Microsoft removes device install limits for Office 365 subscribers
Microsoft is removing limits on the number of devices on which some Office 365 subscribers can install the apps. Starting October 2nd, Home users will no longer be restricted to 10 devices across five users nor will Personal subscribers have a limit of one computer and one tablet. However, you can only stay signed in on five devices at once.
Meanwhile, Home users can let another person use the productivity suite through their account, with Microsoft bumping up the number of licenses per subscriber from five to six. Each user has access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, along with 1TB of individual storage. Microsoft is also integrating Home subscriptions with its family service, so you can automatically share your Office 365 plan with people you’ve set up as family members.
You’ll also be managing your subscription from within your Microsoft account settings from now on. Previously, you had to do so from the account page on the Office website, which now redirects to a general services and subscriptions hub. That means you can manage your subscription in the same place as your other Microsoft services and settings. All of these updates should make Office 365 a little more user-friendly — as well as saving some money for those who add an extra person to their Home subscription plan.
