Microsoft Office Now Available On All Chromebooks

For a year now, Microsoft has been testing its office apps on Chromebooks and finally the test is over and they have limited the test to Google’s latest Pixelbook device. Now Chromebook users can see Office apps in the Google Play Store. According to Chrome Unboxed which reports that the Office apps will also show up on Samsung’s Chromebook Pro, Acer’s C7771, and Acer’s Chromebook 15.

The Android smartphone version of the Office apps includes same features with that of the Android tablet Office apps. Some small screen devices like Asus Chromebook Flip which has a 10.1 inch display screen has full access to Office apps on the chrome OS, but larger devices will pay to subscribe to the Office apps to get access on their device.

However, Microsoft has a strict rule when it comes to Windows, iOS, and Android hardware which means devices that have larger display screens of more than 10 inches will need an Office 365 subscription in order to unlock the creating, editing, and printing documents functions on the device.

Office 365 subscription is a policy that will helps boost the Office apps , given that majority of Chromebook users are mostly students and the device is mostly used in the classroom so these schools already have office 365 subscriptions on then to enable to students create, edit and print their documents.

Chromebook’s user base is increasing and the popularity is rising even though in the last five years Google devices have helped the PC market grow for the first time this year and also outsold Mac devices for the first time last year. This is why Microsoft is doing all it can to increase its pace to counter the Chromebook with its own Windows 10 operating system and launching cheap laptops which is aimed at schools and students. 

2016 was not particularly a great year for PC shipments globally after IDC, a market research company said sales were on the decline at the time. But that changed a bit for the better at least in the United States with the launch of Windows 10 and has continued to improve well into the last quarter of this year. IDC now reports that the traditional PC market has further showed signs of stabilisation. Here’s what they (IDC) say the market looks like now;