Microsoft announces Office 365

Not content with sending out the official release on Thursday’s launch of Window 7 Phone this morning, Microsoft has also unveiled a new cloud-based Office product.

Office 365 is described as the firm’s “next generation in cloud productivity” movement that brings together Office, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Lync Online in an “always-up-to-date” cloud service.

Existing customers of the Business Productivity Online Suite get upgraded versions of SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Lync Online; new administration controls; and the ability to more easily sign-in and share content securely with partners, for $15.25 per user per month.

For businesses with less than 25 employees, you get Office Web Apps, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Lync Online and an external website (ready in 15 minutes boasts Microsoft) for NZ$9.25 per user per month.

For enterprises users also get the option to use Office Professional Plus desktop software on a pay-as-you go basis, for the first time ever. For $38.25 per user per month, organisations can get Office Professional Plus along with email, voicemail, enterprise social networking, instant messaging, web portals, extranets, voice and video conferencing, web conferencing, 24/7 phone support, on-premises licenses and more.

Microsoft says that it makes it easier for organisations of all sizes to access and use its business productivity solutions via the cloud. Office 365 will also works with the most popular browsers, smartphones and desktop applications.

“With Office 365, people can work together more easily from anywhere on virtually any device, to simply and securely collaborate with others inside and outside their organisation.”

“Office 365 is the best of everything we know about productivity, in a single cloud service, all for a predictable monthly cost,” says Anne Taylor, Information Worker Business Group Manager, Microsoft New Zealand.

“Office 365 makes it possible for small owner-operated businesses to get enterprise-calibre software and services for the first time, and helps multi-nationals reduce costs and stay current with the latest innovations. Best of all, their employees don’t have to change the way they work because they can use familiar applications like Office, allowing them to focus on their business, while we and our partners take care of the technology.”

Microsoft worked closely with existing customers to develop Office 365.

Xero Founder Rod Drury said, “Cloud technology is essential to improving the productivity of New Zealand businesses. The launch of Microsoft Office 365 is going to make it even easier for Kiwi businesses to embrace all the benefits cloud computing can offer. With Office 365, small businesses will be able to access enterprise class email and document management, tools that up until now you would only expect to see in a large corporation, at a commoditised price, providing them with a competitive edge to take their business to the next level.”

Office 365 will be available worldwide in 40 countries and regions next year. From today, Microsoft will begin testing Office 365 with a few thousand organisations in thirteen countries around the world, and the beta will be expanded to include more organisations over time.

Further ahead it will expand to include Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online to provide Microsoft’s complete business productivity experience to organisations of all types and sizes.

Microsoft Office 365 for education will debut later next year, giving students, faculty and school employees “powerful technology tailored specifically to their needs”.

Sign up for the beta and check out the official website here.