Microsoft has announced that the new version of Office — which includes word, Excel, and PowerPoint — will be released for Mac users on Oct. 5.
The Office 2021 suite, available as a one-time purchase, will bring many features previously only available on the Microsoft 365 subscription. That includes Microsoft Teams video calling, real-time document collaboration, and a new user interface. Other additions include new data types, functions, translation and editing features, support for more graphic formats, and overall performance and stability improvements.
“The past year and a half have proven it’s more important than ever that our tools provide the flexibility to connect and create together virtually,” Microsoft wrote. “This is why in both Microsoft 365 and Office 2021 we’re including Microsoft Teams for personal use so you can engage with anyone at any time, whether it’s chat, calls, or video. We’re also incorporating many of the collaboration features already available to Microsoft 365 subscribers into Office 2021.
Microsoft 365 costs $69.99 per year for individuals, or $6.99 a month.
The one-time purchase Office 2021 suite offers an alternative to the subscription model. Customers can buy the Home or Student variants of Office 2021 for a one-time purchase $149.99. Office Home and business 2021 is available for $249.99, which includes additional features and the rights to use the apps for business purposes.
