Microsoft Office Changes Its Name, Most Massive Overhaul In Three Decades

As one of the first programs we usually download onto our computers and laptops, Microsoft Office has been in the common lexicon even before the turn of the millennium. 

Now, three decades later, Microsoft has decided it’s time to finally retire the name, though the suite of tools will remain as part of ‘Microsoft 365’, with a new blue and purple ribbon logo. 

If you think the new name sounds somewhat familiar, as per The Register, the firm had already renamed its Office 365 offering to Microsoft 365 way back in 2017, but it is now changing the entire domain name. 

According to Gizmodo, the company broke the news at its Ignite conference this week, confirming that Office.com, its mobile application, and its Windows application will be rebranded with new looks and icons in the coming months. 

The key difference between the two is that Microsoft Office was a one-time purchase, while Microsoft 365 works as a monthly subscription service, along with regular updates that allow users to upgrade the software constantly. 

For those who aren’t too keen on the subscription model, the technology giant says it will still offer one-time purchase options for individual applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, in their 2021 iterations. 

In addition, the suite will soon be updated with new features, including a dashboard hub for all user files across the different applications and a ‘feed’ function that will allow a quick glance at all the tasks for the day. 

The new Microsoft 365 is scheduled to roll out this November, with changes to the Office application for smartphones and Windows expected in January 2023. 

[via Gizmodo and The Register, images via Microsoft 365]