This is only one of the latest of a tremendous wave of changes being made by the technology giant.
Among the many new pieces of technology news coming from the Redmond, Washington based tech giant has been the release of Microsoft Office for free for users of mobile devices.
This is a move that has taken many by surprise, when taking several of the company’s previous strategies into consideration.
For many years, Microsoft Office had not even been made available in a format that was compatible with mobile devices, regardless of price. Now it is has been announced that it will be a free software suite. Office was released for the iPhone in the summer of 2013, and soon afterward there was a version made for Android smartphones, as well. It wasn’t until March of this year that it was available for the iPad.
Previously, there was a bit of a catch, as Microsoft Office was only be free to those who had a paid subscription.
In order to be able to take advantage of the software suite, users previously needed to have an Office 365 subscription, which comes with a price tag of $99. Now, regardless of whether or not users are subscribers to Office 365, they will now be able to use their iPhones, iPads, and Android devices to create and edit spreadsheets, documents, and presentations through Office.
This decision has been made by Microsoft at a time in which the usage of smartphones has now started to pass the use of laptops and desktops, which has historically been the heart and soul of Office. Moreover, Microsoft was also facing a threat to its massive hold on the document, spreadsheet, and presentation market, as the products of competitors were starting to rapidly improve and were already available to users of mobile devices at better prices.
Competition to the mobile version of Microsoft Office has included products such as Google Drive productivity apps, which have been available for free to users for some time now. Apple has also been offering its iWork suite for free to users of iPhones and iPads, as of last year.
Bitcoin continues to gain momentum in the retail space
One of the most powerful trends to emerge in the retail space recently is making the purchase process more convenient for shoppers. A growing number of retailers are beginning to embrace mobile commerce, hoping to streamline the checkout process and make it possible for consumers to get into a physical store and complete their shopping faster than ever before. As mobile shopping grows in popularity, so too is digital currency, such as Bitcoin. This currency is seen as massively convenient , which could make it a powerful mobile commerce tool.
BitPay teams with SumUp to develop new mobile app
BitPay, one of the leading Bitcoin payment processors, is working to make paying with Bitcoin more simpler than it already is. The organization wants to see Bitcoin become more convenient for consumers, but also more attractive for merchants interested in the digital space. In order to do so, BitPay has partnered with SumUp, a developer of point-of-sale systems that accept Bitcoin payments as well as payments made with conventional currencies. Together, the two organizations are developing a new mobile application that will help merchants better connect with consumers.
Demand for Bitcoin payment services is on the rise
Bitcoin is gaining more attention in the mobile commerce space because of its high value and versatility. While the digital currency is somewhat volatile due to the lack of regulation policing it, consumers have shown significant interest in using this currency to purchase products online. Bitcoin has been moving into the physical world at a rapid pace as well, with a growing number of merchants accepting this currency in their stores. The demand for payment solutions that accept Bitcoin payments has grown significantly as a result.
New app will leverage NFC technology rather than QR codes
The new app being developed by BitPay and SumUp will be based on NFC technology. For years, Bitcoin payments were largely handled through the use of QR codes. These codes have to be scanned with a mobile device in order to initiate a transaction. Using NFC technology, however, a shopper can simply tap their phone to a point-of-sale system and finalize a payment in a matter of seconds.
