Microsoft has realized that it is not always a good strategy to offer only paid services – and this is especially true when there is strong free competition in the relevant area. A great example of this approach is that the basic elements of the office software package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook) have long been free if someone uses them under a mobile operating system, and even Outlook has had a free desktop version for a long time – only online as a service, not as a downloadable app. Now, however, the company has decided to take another step and make the Outlook mailer free on Mac OS as well. Until now, the program could only be used by those who have an Office 365 subscription or have purchased one of the Office versions.
There is no word on whether the PC version will also become free, but we would not be surprised if, after a relatively short test period, the mail (and calendar) application would be removed from the Office suite and take on an independent life. The competitors are strong, as Gmail, which is only available as an online service in a desktop environment, and Thunderbird is also a great alternative among software.
Outlook is one of the most popular e-mail applications in the world, despite the fact that until now it was not possible to use the application for free on a desktop computer, only on mobile; it is currently in third place with a share of around 10 percent. According to Microsoft’s hopes, thanks to the switch, more people will use the software, which, serving as a kind of entrance, can lead to the fact that the number of Microsoft 365 subscriptions will also increase due to the integration of services.
Source: geeks.hu
