Microsoft to charge for office subscription on phone in 2016! Bait and Switch

[gerryf19]

This is not the bug that was impacting some users; Microsoft has decided that as of April 2016, you will need an office subscription to edit/change Office documents on your phone if use the continuum feature.

Classic bait and switch.

One of the few distinguishing features of the Microsoft Mobile OS was the use of office apps that actually worked. Coupled with the continuum feature, it was a HUGE selling point. So, now that thousands have bought the phone, they announce they are changing the rules.

I call BS, Microsoft.

It is bad enough they didn't let me know in advance, with the app gap, there are no alternatives to the office apps so you might as well buy a non windows mobile phone now. People should be outraged at this.

 

[N_LaRUE]

So you feel that people who have a laptop, desktop or tablet over 8" should get Office for free too?

You're missing the point. On the phone you can do what you want. If you want to use Office in a larger format then you need to pay.

How is this bait and switch? MS has stated this from the beginning that larger screens devices will have to pay for Office. I don't recall them ever saying that using Office on Continuum will be free.

So your phone happens to have Continuum, other phones won't. If you don't want to pay don't use Continuum. Simple.

Everyone wants everything for free and then they whinge when companies actually want to make money. Forgive them and all their employees who actually need to make a living.

 

[banker1985]

They have consistently said office is free on screens less than 8 inches. (Or 7). No where did they promise it would be free on continuum. I find the timing a little weird, why they didn't announce this 1 month ago is beyond me. But if you feel you are been baited and switched, you probably are still in the return period for your phone. Just return it if this makes you so mad. You can then buy an IOS or Android device that will allow you to edit documents on a large monitor. Oh wait...

 

[Pete]

That's about the size of it (pun intended).

Of course, Microsoft are masters of mangled communication and there's every chance (again) that Microsoft will throw people off a building (figuratively speaking) and then throw a mattress a few weeks/months later as a soft landing. It would have been nice to bundle a year's O365 with the display dock, for example.

Needless to say, Continuum can be used for more than just MS Office app, but I agree it's a pretty key part of the experience ("Productive like a Boss").

 

[Kevin Rush]

I am puzzled by the ignorance many people have about business and economics. News flash: People and companies need to be paid. It isn't magic. Everything can't be free. What kind of person asks for charity? If businesses and app developers could make good money on Windows Phone apps, no matter how many phones were sold, they would flock to the platform. Simple economics. Isn't crying "I want it to be free or I'll go home." childish.
- Rant over. Thank you for reading.

Best Wishes.

 

[tpesa]

If I can open any excel document while using continuum, even when there is animation in the header.. Then I'll be happy to keep paying for 365. Actually, I'll always pay for 365.. It makes everything work better.

 

[darkpgr]

This is not the bug that was impacting some users; Microsoft has decided that as of April 2016, you will need an office subscription to edit/change Office documents on your phone if use the continuum feature.

Classic bait and switch.

One of the few distinguishing features of the Microsoft Mobile OS was the use of office apps that actually worked. Coupled with the continuum feature, it was a HUGE selling point. So, now that thousands have bought the phone, they announce they are changing the rules.

I call BS, Microsoft.

It is bad enough they didn't let me know in advance, with the app gap, there are no alternatives to the office apps so you might as well buy a non windows mobile phone now. People should be outraged at this.

So you are recommending people buy non-Windows phones because you can't use Office with continuum without paying a subscription... But non-Windows phones can't be used as a fully fledged PC nor do they have anything remotely similar to continuum, and require an Office 365 subscription to edit documents even on the phone...

If you ask me that sounds pretty damn stupid...

 

[theefman]

I think the screen size distinction is rubbish, they should charge based on the ability to edit edit, that way it's clear what you get. If I can edit on my phone its only a convenience editing on a bigger screen and that shouldn't warrant a fee when it's the same functionality I already have.

 

[N_LaRUE]

I think the screen size distinction is rubbish, they should charge based on the ability to edit edit, that way it's clear what you get. If I can edit on my phone its only a convenience editing on a bigger screen and that shouldn't warrant a fee when it's the same functionality I already have.

Personally I don't think Office should be free regardless which device you use but MS wanted to have some distinction which confuses everyone (big surprise there).

Office apps are highly complex software. I know there are some 'free' office suites out there but I've yet to find one that comes close to MS Office. If you want free there's always a compromise. Always.

 

[aximtreo]

Question? Will Continuum be available on Non Microsoft Windows Phones? Since the Office apps on IOS and Android are reportedly better than what we get on MS WP's, wouldn't that mean we should buy non MS phones? Not meant as a rant statement; I really don't know if there will be non MS phones or whether they will run Continuum.

 

[mesazoo]

They have stated it will be available on other brands, I believe the Jade phone was demoed with it.

 

[gerryf19]

Well, color me surprised. The outright acceptance of this reminds me of Kevin Bacon in Animal house. ("thankyou sir may I have another"). The deal was office is free on devices with a screen under 10 inches. My connecting a device with a small screen to an external monitor does not change the size of the screen on my device. Now were going to talk about "mobile use" ...where did they mention that? Where were the announcements that office works on your phone, but not when hooked up to contiuum? Microsoft had 3 months to clarify this, but they didn't. Windows phone needs every single plus it can get to build a user base. This is nit how you do it. I can hook my iPad to a tv and use pages, numbers, etc with a Bluetooth keyboard...does apple charge me more? The office with mobile is not the full fledged office that people are using on 365. I bought windows phone so that if I needed to in an pinch I can use my phone. It's not worth a subscription when I already have a full version of office on my pc.

 

[peashooter14]

You can then buy an IOS or Android device that will allow you to edit documents on a large monitor. Oh wait...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

 

[X-topher]

You can miracast Office from your windows phone to your tv for free like all phones add a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse without going thru continuum... Continuum is not Miracast it is much better quality picture and framerate when using the display dock.

 

[X-topher]

To disable continuum when not using the dock.....
connect tv
Start continuum app on the phone
Hit ...
In display drop down change to connected tv
Scroll to bottom--- advanced display options
Select project...

 

[theefman]

Personally I don't think Office should be free regardless which device you use but MS wanted to have some distinction which confuses everyone (big surprise there).

Office apps are highly complex software. I know there are some 'free' office suites out there but I've yet to find one that comes close to MS Office. If you want free there's always a compromise. Always.

Right. Microsoft are the ones who made a big deal about providing free office, then they add the complication of having to know which size screen you have to be able to edit. Having one clear policy makes it easier and only involves 2 choices, free and you can just view, pay and you can edit. Is there really that much difference in size between a 9.7" ipad that can edit docs freely and a 10.8" Surface 3 that warrants a fee for the latter?

 

[X-topher]

All this Whining because people don't have the time or want to educate themselves, In age of the internet where you have infinite amounts of knowledge at your disposal People choose to come on WC splurt out rubbish making them look like a right clown in front of the rest of the world.... Education is the Solution

 

[ashdown43]

Maybe you can use Office online on Edge. That should still be free.

 

[BBJonbo]

Some people just have to complain. That's all. Life is too short to fret about non-issues. Start looking for the positive and not the negative especially where none exists.

 

[bilemke]

Combined with events today with MicrosoftStore.com customer service about a free dock (they have a separate product page and product.id, but standard page just product.id in url, for the free offer that is on backorder as they list the other "pay for" as in stock since 2 days ago).

If this Office bit really happens, will be a bit upset. Have a HP Stream 7 from MS Store that came with free MS Office for a year, and it could send screen content to a miracast dongle attached to my big *ss plasma TV (not to talk size :wink:, but big enough, bigger then any monitor I have attached to a desktop/laptop or any larger tablet I own.