Microsoft Office without a subscription will still be possible in 2021

Those who hate subscription apps will be glad to hear that using Microsoft Office without a subscription will still be possible on the Mac with a new version launching next year.

Microsoft has been increasingly pushing users towards its subscription-based Office 365 platform, while downplaying the alternative of a one-time purchase …

The tech giant currently offers a range of outright purchase options for both PC and Mac, but it had been feared that Office 2019 might be the last of these. However, Windows Central spotted a single sentence in a Microsoft announcement confirming that we’ll still have the one-time purchase option next year.

Microsoft Office will also see a new perpetual release for both Windows and Mac, in the second half of 2021.

Windows Central says that no details are yet available, but it’s likely to be a similar package to Office 2019.

While many have moved over to Microsoft 365, some prefer a perpetual license for Office that allows them to purchase a product once and to have it forever. Microsoft usually releases perpetual updates to Office every few years, though some were concerned that Office 2019 would be the last perpetual update. Luckily for those who prefer a perpetual license, a new version is on the way.

Office 2019 comes with quite a few apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Skype for Business, as well as servers such as Exchange, SharePoint, and Skype for Business. It’s safe to assume that the upcoming perpetual version of Office will have a similar offering.

At this time, Microsoft hasn’t shared details regarding the price, exact availability, or name of the next perpetual version of Office.

Microsoft launched a new unified Office app for iPhone back in February,.

The new Office app simplifies how you work on a phone by combining Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into one app and adds mobile-first features so you can get more done all from one app. This app maintains all the functionality of the existing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint mobile apps but requires far less phone storage than using three separate apps.

Via Engadget