Editor’s note: This article was first published in October 2010. Office 365 had just been announced and became generally available in 2011. Its prediction that the cloud would take over in a very few years, and its Google Apps comparison, reflect that moment.
In a very few years, we won’t need to store our files on our PC, let alone our software. We’ll manage everything from “the cloud”, with all the advantages and drawbacks that brings. Google was the first to take a big step in this direction, but Microsoft didn’t want to be left behind, and now we have the new Office 365.
Microsoft has launched its online office suite. No installation is needed, and we can save our data, files, spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations directly on an online server that we can access from any computer, phone or device with an internet connection.
Until now, Google offered a limited free service, with the option of getting the full-featured version for an annual fee; Microsoft has lowered the price of its annual fee to win the battle against its main competitor.
Microsoft’s marketing focuses on the savings this service will bring companies, since they won’t have to buy the whole software suite for every computer, and large companies with several branches will be able to access their central database, which will be online.
The news comes at a time when there were rumours of security “breaches” in Google Apps, something Microsoft has been quick to take advantage of.
The battle to conquer the internet and all its services is still red-hot. Will Apple make its move?
Featured image: Jelson25, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
