As the Microsoft offerings for small and medium-sized business have evolved over time beyond the core Office products, Microsoft have made the decision to rename some of them to bring them in line with their other plans.
Which product names are changing?
- Office 365 Business Essentials will become Microsoft 365 Business Basic.
- Office 365 Business Premium will become Microsoft 365 Business Standard.
- Microsoft 365 Business will become Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
- Office 365 Business and Office 365 ProPlus will both become Microsoft 365 Apps, using the labels “for business” and “for enterprise” labels to distinguish between the two where necessary.
When will these product names be changing? Will there be any functionality or pricing changes?
The change will take effect automatically from April 21st, 2020 and is in name only – no amendments will be made to functionality or price.
Why are Microsoft making these changes?
For two reasons:
- As Microsoft is an integrated set of apps and services using cutting-edge technology, it goes beyond the original perception of the traditional ‘Office’ applications. New functionality in Microsoft Teams allows for the hosting of rich meetings and events online; cloud file storage and sharing provide powerful collaboration capabilities; and security solutions to protect your businesses.
- To simplify Microsoft product names, making them easier to find and differentiate them.