Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Office 2013 Launches Tuesday

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), certainly for a variety of its own reasons, has always been very silent about any new releases or announcements until the last minute. Consider this another one of those up-against-it announcements – as after much speculation and rumor and innuendo, the reveal of Office 2013 is finally coming from those in Redmond.

And the last-minute thing? Um, the company officially admitted that Office 2013 wil be released Tuesday, January 29. That is tomorrow for those of you keeping track.

By the way, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) stock is up about 20 cents after two hours of trading Monday, to $28.08 per share.

The confirmation of the new Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) software, Office 2013, apparently came from one of the most common platforms for media advisories – Twitter. A tweet from the Office team apparently confirmed the rumor that had swirled for months, that O13 would launch on the 29th of January.

There will be several versions of Office 2013, according to information already put out to manufacturers and other stakeholders. Perhaps the newest, novel version is a subscription service called Office 365 Home Premium. Home Premium is reportedly not a Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)-hosted software, but instead is essentially a licensed version that is downloadable and locally installed, and the user pays a monthly “rental” fee per machine, with allowable downloads on up to five PCs and Macs combined. The fee is about $100 per year per machine.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has been offering pieces of Office 2013 for enterprise customers since October 2012, with new pieces added as part of the company’s regular service updates. Microsoft reportedly will also sell Home & Student for $139 for a one-time install on one PC, while the home & Business version can be purchased for $219 on one PC.

Will this make much difference for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) going forward, in the wake of its so-so earnings report last week? What are your thoughts about the company, and would you get Office 2013? We’d like your thoughts in the comments section below.

DISCLOSURE: I own no positions in any stock mentioned.

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