Microsoft has made Office 2024 available for purchase, offering consumers an alternative to the subscription-based Microsoft 365 service.
Office Home 2024, priced at $149.99, will include core apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for one PC or Mac. The Home & Business 2024 edition adds Outlook and grants commercial use rights for an additional $100.
Despite the company’s efforts to push customers towards cloud-based subscriptions – a move mirrored across the industry – continuing to offer perpetual licenses ensures that the company maintains certain users who prefer buying and owning their software.
Microsoft launches Office 2024 perpetual license
Despite this, the software still requires a Micrsooft account and an internet connection for installation and registration. Most features thereon in will work offline.
Offering little in terms of new features, the 2024 version of the company’s office software does at least align with changes made to the subscription-based product, such as the new ‘Fluent’ design theme and enhanced accessibility.
The suite also supports OpenDocument Format (ODF) 1.4 and brings features like live camera feeds in PowerPoint presentations.
However, users looking to obtain a perpetual license will have to do without access to some key Microsoft 365 features, like Teams and bundled cloud storage.
Microsoft’s efforts to entice consumers and business users to Windows 11 have been largely unsuccessful. In August 2024, Windows 10 adoption still stood at nearly two-thirds (64%), with Windows 111 only accounting for around half of this (32% of all Windows installs). Consequentially, Office 2024 will be compatible with both of these OSs.
Furthermore, businesses with five or more users can lean on the Office Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) 2024 to deploy the software alongside Microsoft 365 using simple management tools for hybrid environments.
The 2024 version of Microsoft Office is available to download now.
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