Source: The Verge

Microsoft Office on IPad (Image Source: The Verge)

Following the establishment of a partnership with Dropbox, and the decision to extend its Office software to mobile devices, Microsoft’s next move is to release the software for free. This is all a part of Microsoft’s strategy to enter the mobile market. The software giant having already established a strong brand for its Microsoft Office software should have no problem pushing Office into the mobile market. Entering the mobile market is a very effective strategy for Microsoft because the company recognizes the increasing use of mobile devices and tries to adapt to this trend. By making their mobile versions of Office free for users, they are implementing a freemium strategy; Microsoft will still be charging subscriptions for businesses and individuals who use some of the premium features, so that there is still subscription value. Integrating Dropbox’s cloud storage feature into mobile Office apps will further reinforce the user experience for consumers. I think overall this move by Microsoft will be very effective in terms of pushing out office competition because Microsoft Office is already a very reputable authoring software, consumers are highly likely to switch to its mobile version. Furthermore Microsoft made Office free and therefore more accessible to consumers, I think it is very difficult for other apps of similar nature to have their place in the mobile market.