micosoft office 2019

Tech giant Microsoft recently announced their next iteration of Office at Microsoft’s Ignite conference in Orlando. Office 2019 is the next perpetual update for Office and includes perpetual versions of all the Office apps – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Office 2019 will have perpetual versions of Microsoft servers, including Exchange, SharePoint, and Skype for Business.

See Also: 5 Things to Know About the Windows 10 Cloud

Office 2019 Release Details

Microsoft did not give out too many details of release date and the pricing. However, Jared Spataro, general manager for Office wrote on the official Microsoft Office blog that the release is scheduled for the second half of 2018. He also wrote that previews of the new products will start shipping mid-year 2018.

New Features in Office 2019

Though Microsoft has promoted their cloud services (Office 365) in the recent years, the company has realized that not everybody is ready to move to the cloud and Office 2019 is built for such customers who prefer to keep their work offline.

Jared Spataro writes, “Office 2019 will add new user and IT capabilities for customers who aren’t yet ready for the cloud. For example, new and improved inking features—like pressure sensitivity, tilt effects, and ink replay—will allow you to work more naturally. New formulas and charts will make data analysis for Excel more powerful. Visual animation features—like Morph and Zoom—will add polish to PowerPoint presentations. Server enhancements will include updates to IT manageability, usability, voice, and security.

Cloud-powered innovation is a major theme at Ignite this week. But we recognize that moving to the cloud is a journey with many considerations along the way. Office 2019 will be a valuable upgrade for customers who feel that they need to keep some or all of their apps and servers on-premises, and we look forward to sharing more details about the release in the coming months.”

These new features are a huge improvement on the earlier version – Microsoft Office 2016, which came out in 2015. The improved inking features and the visual animation features in PowerPoint will be well received by customers. IT departments of enterprises will definitely welcome the server enhancements.

What it means for Office 365 users

Office 365 is a subscription based suite where users can access all Microsoft apps and servers online. Office 2019 will work offline and available on a one-time payment similar to Office 2016.

Office 365 users do not need Office 2019 unless they want to opt out of their subscriptions and move their work offline.

Office 365 already has some of the features like the morph and zoom animation features in PowerPoint and the data analysis features in Excel. Office 2019 is clearly for customers who do not want to make the leap to Microsoft’s cloud services.

Price

Microsoft has given no clue as to how Office 2019 will be priced. Considering it is an upgrade to Office 2016, it is logical to assume that Office 2019 might be priced similarly.

Microsoft Office 2019 is a suite of “perpetual” apps, because you will need to pay a one-time fee, and not a recurring subscription. 

Final Thoughts

Microsoft’s Office 2019 announcement has been hailed by Microsoft users across the board. Microsoft has known to be focussing on the Office 365 in the last few years. It is interesting to note that Microsoft has taken cognizance of non-Office 365 users and announce the Office 2019 update. Though more and more people are migrating to the cloud, there is a market for users who prefer a perpetual license over a subscription service. This announcement is good news for a good section of users who haven’t migrated to Office 365 yet.

Microsoft will announce more details and features in the coming months. We will bring you updates as we receive them. What Office 2019 features are you most excited about? What features would you like to be incorporated in Office 2019? Let us know in the comments below.