Microsoft is bringing a pared-down version of its Office software to Android phones, but it is keeping the app off Android tablets just as it isn’t making a version for iPads.
The company made the software available Wednesday through Google’s online Play store. It requires a US$100-a-year subscription to Office and won’t be sold separately.
The new offering follows the release of an iPhone version in June and brings an Office app to phones running the most widely used operating system on new smartphones.
Like the other mobile versions, the new Android software is designed for lightweight use. For example, you can use it to view and edit an attachment sent by email. But it’s not meant to create a complex spreadsheet from scratch.
Microsoft is trying to make its Office 365 subscription more compelling, without removing an advantage that tablet computers running Microsoft’s Windows system have — the ability to run popular Office programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
“The release of this app shows that we’re committed to keep providing additional value for Office 365 subscribers,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Office 365 subscribers will now be able to access, view, and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents with Windows Phone, iPhone and Android phones.”