Dive Brief:
- Microsoft unveiled its Office 365 and Windows 10 bundle Monday at the Microsoft Inspire 2017 conference in Washington D.C. In a keynote Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called the new product, Microsoft 365, a "complete solution" intended for all business but geared toward small and medium-sized businesses.
- Microsoft 365 serves as an all-in-one, serverless bundle of Office 365, Windows 10 and its mobility and security solutions. Microsoft 365 Enterprise will be available Aug. 1 followed by the release of Microsoft 365 Business later in the fall.
- During his keynote, Nadella made Microsoft's focus on small to mid-sized businesses clear. Microsoft 365 Business is a subscription-based software running at about $20 per user per month, according to Microsoft. Non-bundled subscriptions remain available for Windows 10 Enterprise.
Dive Insight:
The bundle of software is yet another rebrand for Microsoft product engagement. Even before Microsoft's layoff of 3000 employees Thursday, the company has made a deliberate push to the cloud.
As Azure trails Amazon Web Services (AWS) as the second largest cloud provider, Microsoft has continued to expand beyond its original operating model to subscription-based offerings.
Following last year's move to Windows 10 subscription plans, Microsoft 365's singular subscription, product and storage capabilities establishes Microsoft as one of the leading software and cloud-based service providers for enterprises.
The intent of this all-in-one service is to create a cohesive suite of business products. To do this, Nadella said companies need artificial intelligence (AI) built into every application with storage and distribution of data through serverless technologies. This streamlined approach to digital transformation is meant to protect an enterprise's data while promoting employee efficiency.
