The rollout of a subscription model for Microsoft Corp.'s new Office XP productivity suite may be delayed beyond May 31, the date the packaged version hits retail stores, the company confirmed today.
While Microsoft announced pricing for the new suite today, it failed to release pricing for the subscription model of the product. This is the first time Office will be available by subscription from Microsoft directly.
"We are focussing on pricing for the packaged product with this announcement. Subscription pricing will be announced at a later date," Office Product Manager Lisa Gurry told eWEEK Monday, adding that the availability of the subscription model would vary by geographic region. But subscriptions "probably won't be available in the U.S. or elsewhere by May 31, when the product hits retail stores," she conceded.
Gurry denied that Microsoft was delaying the subscription option and details of its is pricing in order to first drive the number of full, paying upgrades and new licensed users.
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