Satya Nadella teases potential Microsoft 365 consumer launch

(Image credit: Mike Moore)

Microsoft could soon release a consumer version of its popular Microsoft 365 bundle according to a discussion the company's CEO had with journalists at a recent media event.

The company first unveiled its Microsoft 365 bundle which included Windows 10 and Office for businesses and the education sector back in 2017.

Buying Office and Windows licenses in a bundle makes a great deal of sense for the commercial market but Microsoft may have to tweak the contents of a similar package to appeal to consumers who generally don't buy Windows licenses outright unless their building their own PC.

However, with the company's recent focus on Windows as as service, a consumer version of Microsoft 365 could help shift users' mindsets away from the idea of buying a one-time license for its OS in favor of a subscription model similar to Office 365.

Business vs. consumer

Microsoft has been catering to business customers recently and at the event, the company's CEO Satya Nadella answered a question regarding its consumer focus.

He explained that the software giant “made a bunch of mistakes by just saying let's just enter every category, just because were a software company.” Now though, Microsoft has begun to pick its battles more wisely concerning its business and consumer offerings.

Nadella hinted at the fact that the company would soon be talking about Microsoft 365 consumer subscriptions and now that the news is out we could soon hear an official announcement.

Back in December, ZDNet discovered job listings that suggested a Microsoft 365 consumer bundle is on the way and Satya Nadella's recent comments seem to confirm just that. 

Via The Verge

Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.