Apple iPad Pro Users Require Office 365 Subscription To Edit Office Files

Couple of week ago, when Apple revealed iPad Pro, Microsoft Office is one of the productivity software, Apple focused on its presentation. In fact, Apple invited a Microsoft executive to the stage, to demonstrate how Microsoft Office apps can help productivity on the iPad Pro with the help of its optional stylus.

While it shows Microsoft’s commitment to Apple’s platform, the presentation did not reveal an important thing. As it is revealed now, the users of iPad Pro can only view Office documents and to edit them they would need an active Office 365 subscription. This is something new for users of Apple products. Previously, Apple users can download Microsoft Office app for free and use it to view and edit their documents.

So, if you wonder what is changed? it is because Microsoft feels tablets with large screens as a potential replacement for netbooks and laptops and thinks that offering their Office products for free for these large screen devices would hurt their bottom line.

Microsoft, is currently allowing users with devices that have screens smaller than 10.1 inches to edit documents for free, but users of devices larger than that have to pony up for an Office 365 subscription. It is not just iOS, the same policy goes for Android and Windows tablets as well.

Although, this fact is not stated in the licensing terms of the iOS Office apps, Microsoft has confirmed that editing documents inside the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps for the iPad Pro will require an Office 365 subscription. It looks Microsoft will also update the license agreement of its apps in App Store by the time iPad Pro hits the streets.

Requiring an Office 365 subscription may turn some iPad Pro consumers away from using Office, but it likely will not affect Microsoft’s business of selling its productivity software to companies. Companies that want to give iPad Pros to their employees may be on Office 365 already, and if they are not, Microsoft’s policy could be the added push it needs to get a subscription that will cover employees’ computers, tablets and phones.

The Office 365 subscription allows home users to use Microsoft Office apps on Windows and OS X, and also provides 1 TB storage space on Microsoft’s cloud storage service OneDrive. For users residing in selected the countries, the service also gives 60 Skype minutes per month.

For business and enterprise users, Office 365 offers plans including e-mail and social networking services through hosted versions of Exchange Server, Skype for Business Server, SharePoint and Office Online, integration with Yammer, as well as access to the Office software.

Also, Office 365 users will get continuous update and their Office app and embraces the rolling-release model. You can purchase your Office 365 subscription from it official website.