Microsoft Office Lands on Android Phones

Microsoft today announced that its Office 365 suite is now available for Android phones.

The free app was added to the Google Play store this morning, and provides Office 365 subscribers with access to Office, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents from the palm of your hand.

Any Android user can download the app, but access to its programs requires an Office 365 subscription. Office 365 Home Premium costs $99.99 per year and the Small Business Premium edition runs $150 per year for each user. Microsoft offers a 30-day free trial via Office.com.

Users can install Office Mobile for Android on up to five devices, not including Windows Phone gadgets, which come with a version of Office Mobile pre-installed. Those with Office 365 University can install the mobile version on up to two devices.

Office Mobile for Android will work on devices running Android 4.0 and up, but is currently only compatible with phones, not tablets.

"Office Mobile has been optimized for the small screen of your phone so you can get things done efficiently," Microsoft said in a blog post. "When reviewing Word documents, the Resume Reading feature takes you to the exact point in the document where you left off on your PC so you don't waste time searching. The new Slide Navigator lets you browse through PowerPoint presentations fast while Speaker Notes help you practice on the run."

Initially, Office 365 is rolling out in the U.S., but will eventually be available in 33 languages and 117 markets. That expansion should begin in the coming weeks.

Microsoft promised easy access to documents on the phone; a Recent Documents panel shows the files you recently opened on the PC - "no searching needed," Redmond said. Any changes will sync across devices.

There's also the option to edit and share documents from the phone. Save updated files to SkyDrive or email them as attachments.

Microsoft released Office Mobile for iPhone in mid-June, and that too was only available on Apple's smartphone, not the iPad. For more, check out PCMag's full review, as well as Microsoft Office for iPhone: Too Little Too Late?

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Chloe Albanesius

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I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

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Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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