Amit Signh, the Head of Google Enterprise, has his eyes set on Microsoft Office 2013. With the help of Google Apps and the Google Drive cloud, the aggressive company VP foresees a decisive shift in user allegiance in the near future.
Singh tells AllThingsD, "Our goal is to get to the 90 percent of users who don't need to have the most advanced features of Office." The executive assures the tech site that 2012 "was the year where [Google] broke the barrier and got large-scale adoption."
Amit criticizes Microsoft's pricing model, and suggests that "over time you shouldn't have to charge more money to get cloud services. Overall, your costs should go down. We've been at the $50 price point for apps for some time, while increasing the depth and breadth of our solution. On the other hand, the way they are incenting their customers to move is by charging them more."
For Microsoft Office 2013, Microsoft looks to transition most users to a subscription model. Office 365 Home Premium will cost $99.99/year, and Office 365 Small Business Premium will cost $149.99/year. If Office users opt for the traditional licensed offering, Office Home & Student 2013 will be priced at $139.99, Office Home & Business 2013 at $219.99, and Office Professional 2013 at $399.99. Office Small Business Premium offers its suite for $12.50/month and can be used by up to 25 employees. Office 365 University costs either $79.99 for a four-year subscription, or $1.67/month.
Microsoft has further incentivized the new Office with a promotion that encourages any consumer who purchases Microsoft Office 2010 between now and April 30, 2013 to apply for a free upgrade to Microsoft Office 2013 or a one-year subscription to Office 365, the Redmond-based company's cloud service.