Rumors become facts: After speculation has been going on since November last year that Microsoft will be offering the latest version of Microsoft Office (which has officially no longer been called Microsoft Office since October 2022, but rather Microsoft 365) not only as a subscription, but also as a one-off subscription. Microsoft has now officially confirmed that it will offer purchase.
The next version of Microsoft 365 aka Microsoft Office is scheduled to appear later in 2024. Of course, Microsoft will primarily try to make this Office 2024 attractive to its customers again as a subscription. After all, only the subscription model guarantees regular income for the software manufacturer. But Microsoft doesn’t want to lose customers who reject the subscription model and prefer a one-time purchase.
Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium ESD for 5 users in price comparison:
In a blog post about the upcoming preview of Microsoft Office LTSC 2024, Microsoft emphasizes that you can simply buy Microsoft 2024 and then use it permanently. Of course, it only makes sense until support ends after five years. After support ends, you will no longer receive security updates for Microsoft Office 2024, making it unsafe to use.
This statement only applies to Office LTSC, a variant of Microsoft Office intended for commercial customers and authorities. Much more exciting for private users is the question of whether Microsoft will also release Office 2024 for private users again as a non-subscription version. And the blog post actually goes into this:
We also plan to release a new version of Office for consumers later this year: Office 2024. Office 2024 will also be supported for five years with the traditional “one-time purchase” model. We have no plans to change the price of these products at the time of publication. We will announce further details about the new features in Office 2024 closer to general availability.
Thanks to the Microsoft blog post, seven important facts have now been established:
- The next version of Microsoft Office for private users will be released in 2024 as Office 2024
- Microsoft provides updates for this for five years
- You can purchase Office 2024 without having to subscribe for a one-time payment
- Office 2024 is also being released for macOS
- Office 2024 also supports Windows 10, except on ARM devices.
- Office 2024 also supports 32 bit
- In addition, the price remains unchanged. The RRP for Microsoft Office 2021 Home and Student is currently 149.99 euros and for Office Home & Business 2023 99.99 euros. However, both programs cost significantly less in stores (just click on the links above to see the current Amazon prices).
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 ESD in price comparison:
If you are faced with deciding between the subscription model with annual costs or the variant with a one-off payment and no follow-up costs: New functions are only available for the subscription model; the version with a one-off payment only has security and repair features. Updates.
The preview of Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 should be available for testers from April 2024. Without Microsoft Publisher because Microsoft is discontinuing this program. Teams is also missing because Microsoft provides Teams for download separately.
