Microsoft 365 Basic is a brand new $1.99 a month subscription with 100GB of storage and extra

Microsoft is introducing a brand new client tier to its Microsoft 365 subscription choices. Priced at simply $1.99 per thirty days, Microsoft 365 Basic is designed to switch the 100GB OneDrive storage possibility with some further options that sit in between the free possibility and the $6.99 a month Personal subscription.

Microsoft 365 Basic might be accessible worldwide on January thirtieth with 100GB of cloud storage, an ad-free Outlook internet and cell expertise, and enhanced security measures. The security measures embody information encryption for an Outlook mailbox, suspicious hyperlink checking, and virus / malware scanning for attachments. Existing OneDrive 100GB storage prospects might be mechanically upgraded to Microsoft 365 Basic on the similar $1.99 month-to-month charge.

“Later this year, we’ll have a bunch of stuff with OneDrive advanced security that will be available as well, that includes Personal Vault, password-protected and expiring links, ransomware detection and recovery, and bulk file restore,” says Gareth Oystryk, director of product advertising and marketing for Microsoft 365, in an interview with The Verge.

Microsoft 365 Basic can even embody entry to Microsoft technical assist, which incorporates assist over the cellphone or by way of on-line chat for each Microsoft 365 apps and Windows 11. The principal distinction between the $6.99 Personal subscription and this new $1.99 Basic one (aside from the quantity of cloud storage) is that Microsoft 365 Basic doesn’t embody entry to the desktop variations of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps. Basic subscribers should use the online or cell variations as a substitute.

“We know many people are using our services today, but some of them run out of storage or want additional benefits that you don’t get with the free Microsoft 365 experience,” says Oystryk. “We also designed this specifically with Windows users in mind.” The Microsoft 365 Basic package deal is aimed toward Windows customers that want further storage but in addition looks like Microsoft’s manner of familiarizing folks with its productiveness subscriptions.

Microsoft can also be renaming its Office app on cell and Windows to Microsoft 365 later this month. It displays the branding adjustments Microsoft introduced final yr, the place Microsoft Office will largely be known as Microsoft 365 going ahead. “Is the Office brand going away entirely? No,” explains Oystryk. “We’ve really invested a lot in Microsoft 365 and it’s really become our flagship productivity suite, so Office plays less of a role given that’s where our focus is. You’ll still see Office show up in certain contexts. It’s more of a shift in focus where we’re doubling down on Microsoft 365 as our productivity suite, and we want people, when they think of productivity, to think about Microsoft 365 and not Office.”

Later this month can even mark 10 years since Microsoft first launched client subscriptions for Office. Known again then as Office 365 Home Premium, the plan included entry to Office desktop apps and 20GB of cloud storage. That’s been elevated to 1TB of cloud storage lately, alongside a bunch of options added to the subscription.

“One thing hasn’t changed over the last 10 years: the price,” writes Microsoft vice chairman Liat Ben-Zur in a weblog put up. “Microsoft 365 Personal and Family still cost only $6.99 and $9.99 per month, respectively.” While inflation and prices have been pushing up different subscription providers over the previous decade, Microsoft says it doesn’t have any rapid plans to boost Microsoft 365 costs, however Oystryk doesn’t rule it out for the long run.