These new desktop versions are touch optimized and will end up as part future Office 365 releases, so you will need some kind of subscription for it. We have mentioned that Windows 10 Preview from January just got Word, Excel and PowerPoint Previews. They are available for your testing pleasure under Windows 10. 

Desktop / Notebook lovers and people who actually want and need to write essays, articles, reports, will want the real thing, and the next office for desktop iteration is called Office 2016.

Microsoft has officially confirmed that the new version is to be expected in the second half of 2016 and that the beta should come out soon. The second half of 2016 is the general availability date.

Office 2016 is optimized for standard keyboard and mouse input on your desktop and notebook, but Microsoft didn’t talk about touch input.

Office 2013 was an all-connected office package, and supported could storage and sharing. We are sure that 2016 will continue down that path. It will be interesting to learn if you will need an Office 365 license to work on your office files on tablets and phones in case you own Office 2016.