Windows Phone is now free

[gorcorps]

I don't think they've said anything about Office.

I don't think anyone is getting Office for free, I believe they just get a steep discount if certain requirements on the system are met. But that program's been around a while. So have discounted Windows licenses, though.

The Dell Venue 8 pro includes office for free, and possibly other devices I'm unaware of.

 

[bearxor]

The Dell Venue 8 pro includes office for free, and possibly other devices I'm unaware of.

No one is getting it for free. Not the OEM's nor the end users.

Microsoft just has, and has had for quite some time, a program to provide OEM's a dramatically reduced cost version of Office if the computer it's sold on meets certain requirements and targets certain markets.

It's easy to think of it as "free" because the hardware is so cheap. But Dell is paying probably paying $10-$15 per license for it to be included.

 

[MarkizSchnitzel]

No one is getting it for free. Not the OEM's nor the end users.

Microsoft just has, and has had for quite some time, a program to provide OEM's a dramatically reduced cost version of Office if the computer it's sold on meets certain requirements and targets certain markets.

It's easy to think of it as "free" because the hardware is so cheap. But Dell is paying probably paying $10-$15 per license for it to be included.

I think it has been explicitly said that devices with 10" or less get the office for free.

 

[notposting]

Tablets with RT (and phones) were getting Office free previously.

Not sure if anything will be changing, especially with the new touch version of Office and their emphasis on selling Office 365 subscriptions.

 

[rockyct]

I think it has been explicitly said that devices with 10" or less get the office for free.

No it hasn't, and they don't. The full version of Office is always free on Windows RT devices, which means just the Surface 2 (but not the Surface Pro 2 as that runs the full version of Windows). There may be some other deal like what Dell has, but Dell is paying for that copy of Office.

I doubt they are going to change much on the Office policy either. Office 365 has been very successful so they don't want to take away the reason for Office subscriptions.