Office 2016 adopts Windows 10's branch, upgrade, or else strategy

Microsoft has announced that Office 2016 will follow the same update model as Windows 10, with different branches for different users. This means that Office 2016 users will have to keep their software up to date or risk losing functionality and security.

The new update model is based on the concept of "software as a service", where users pay a subscription fee to access the latest features and patches. Microsoft says this approach will ensure Office 2016 is always compatible with Windows 10 and other Microsoft products, as well as providing a consistent user experience across devices.

However, some users may not be happy with the new update model, especially if they prefer to have more control over when and how they update their software. Office 2016 will have three main branches: Current Branch, Current Branch for Enterprise, and First Release of Current Branch for Enterprise.

The current branch will receive monthly updates that include new features, bug fixes, and security patches. This branch is intended for home users and small businesses who want to stay ahead of Office 2016.

The current enterprise branch will receive updates every four months, with only critical and security fixes in between. This branch is designed for larger organizations that need more time to test and deploy updates. However, this branch will also require users to update to the latest version within a year of its release, otherwise they will lose access to some features and online services.

The first version of Current Branch for Business will allow users to preview updates that will be released to Current Branch for Business four months later. This branch is intended for IT professionals and early adopters who want to evaluate and provide feedback on upcoming updates.

Microsoft It says that Office 2016 users will be able to switch branches at any time, but will have to reinstall the software if they do so. Users who purchase Office 2016 as a standalone product (without a subscription) will only receive security updates and no new features.

The new Office 2016 update model is similar to that used by Windows 10, which also has different branches for different users. Microsoft hopes that by aligning the update cycles of its two flagship products, it will create a smoother and more secure experience for its customers.

Microsoft announced yesterday that Office 2016 for Windows will be available on September 22 and explained how it will provide updates and improvements at a similar frequency and pattern as Windows 10.

Office 2016 will be "broadly accessible" starting September 22, according to Julie White, general manager of technical product management for Office 365, who wrote a post on the team's blog on Thursday. Organizations with volume licensing agreements, including those with Software Assurance, will be able to download the new version starting October 1.

Starting the week of September 22, Office 365 Home and Personal subscribers (consumer-oriented plans that cost $70 and $100 per year) can manually start downloading Office 2016 for Windows at Office.com. In October, Office 2016 will be automatically downloaded to those subscribers' devices. After that, the apps will receive monthly updates, which will include security patches, bug fixes, and new features and functionality.

1. **Consumer Updates (Windows 10 Home):** Consumers, such as those running Windows 10 Home, receive automatic monthly updates. They do not have the option to defer these updates and must receive them as they arrive.

2. **Office 2016 in enterprise:** Microsoft plans to adopt a similar pace of release of updates and improvements for Office 2016 in enterprise environments as it does for Windows 10. This pace includes both the "Current Branch" (CB) and the «Current branch» (CB). Branch Options for Business» (CBB).

3. **Current Branch (CB):** CB for Office 365 will provide monthly updates that may include new features, security patches, and non-security bug fixes. These updates are frequent and offer the latest changes.

4. **Current Branch for Business (CBB):** CBB for Office 365 will release updates every four months and will potentially include the same types of content as CB. In months where there is no CBB update, security fixes will only be provided to customers who have adopted this branch.

5. **Consequences of not updating:** If the next CB update is not deployed, customers will not receive future security updates. CBB users have more flexibility to delay deploying the next update for up to four months, but must adopt the update that comes after. If they don't, they will face an interruption in receiving security updates.

6. **Feature Set Retention:** Office 365 CBB users can retain the Office 2016 feature set for up to eight months, which is equivalent to two updates. For example, if CBB 1 is released in February 2016, users can skip CBB 2 in June 2016, but must implement CBB 3 in October 2016 or risk losing access to security updates.

The CBB rules and pacing appear to be identical to the system described for Windows 10 Home and are designed to ensure that businesses maintain security and compatibility with Office 2016 while still having some flexibility in the update schedule.