Microsoft Office 365 Cloud Productivity Suite Enters Limited Beta | Channel Insider

Microsoft Office 365 Cloud Productivity Suite Enters Limited Beta

(Reuters) – Microsoft Corp launched a fully online version of its popular Office suite of applications on Tuesday as it looks to extend its customer base and beat back rival Google Inc. The new service, called Office 365, is available as a limited test from Tuesday, and will be on sale on a subscription basis […]

Oct 19, 2010
1 minute read
Channel Insider content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

(Reuters) – Microsoft Corp launched a fully online version of its popular Office suite of applications on Tuesday as it looks to extend its customer base and beat back rival Google Inc.

The new service, called Office 365, is available as a limited test from Tuesday, and will be on sale on a subscription basis worldwide next year.

Combining some of Microsoft’s existing cloud-based services, it will be available through most browsers and on mobile devices.

That means customers can get access to Office programs like Outlook e-mail and SharePoint websites without installing software, from virtually anywhere.

The move strikes a blow against rival Google, which has had some success with its Google Apps service, which provides a low-cost, Web-based alternative to Microsoft’s traditional Office software.

Shares of Microsoft were down 2.7 percent at $25.12 in morning trading, while Google fell 1.1 percent to $610.95.

(Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) 

Recommended for you...

Anthropic’s AI Push Signals Major Shift for Channel Partners
Nutanix Expands Cloud Platform, Integration Partnerships
Jordan Smith
Apr 7, 2026
Nutanix Bets on AI for Neoclouds, Service Provider Support
Jordan Smith
Apr 7, 2026
Nutanix Debuts NKP Metal for Bare-Metal Kubernetes Environments
Jordan Smith
Apr 7, 2026
Channel Insider Logo

Channel Insider combines news and technology recommendations to keep channel partners, value-added resellers, IT solution providers, MSPs, and SaaS providers informed on the changing IT landscape. These resources provide product comparisons, in-depth analysis of vendors, and interviews with subject matter experts to provide vendors with critical information for their operations.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.