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

Microsoft has announced that Office 2016 will follow the same upgrade 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 «software as a service» concept, where users pay a subscription fee to access the latest features and patches. Microsoft says this approach will ensure that 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 upgrade model, especially if they prefer to have more control over when and how they upgrade their software. Office 2016 will have three main branches: Current Branch, Current Branch for Business, and First Release of Current Branch for Business.

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 on the cutting edge 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 upgrade to the latest version within one year of release, otherwise they will lose access to some features and online services.

The first release of Current Branch for Business will allow users to preview updates that will be released in 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 dice que los usuarios de Office 2016 podrán cambiar de rama en cualquier momento, pero tendrán que reinstalar el software si lo hacen. Los usuarios que compren Office 2016 como producto independiente (sin suscripción) solo recibirán actualizaciones de seguridad y ninguna característica nueva.

The new Office 2016 upgrade model is similar to the one 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 upgrades with a frequency and pattern similar to Windows 10.

Office 2016 will be «widely available» starting Sept. 22, according to Julie White, general manager of technical product management for Office 365, who wrote a post on the team’s blog Thursday. Organizations with volume licensing agreements, including those with Software Assurance, will be able to download the new version starting Oct. 1.

Beginning the week of September 22, Office 365 Home and Personal subscribers (the consumer-oriented plans that cost $70 and $100 per year) can manually initiate the download of Office 2016 for Windows on Office.com. In October, Office 2016 will automatically download 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 enterprises:** Microsoft plans to adopt a similar release pace of updates and upgrades for Office 2016 in enterprise environments as it does for Windows 10. This pace includes both «Current Branch» (CB) and «Current Branch. 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 provide 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 when there is no CBB update, only security fixes will be provided to customers who have adopted this branch.

5. **Consequences of not upgrading:** If the next CB update is not deployed, customers will not receive future security updates. CBB users have more flexibility to postpone the implementation of the next update for up to four months, but must adopt the update that follows. If they do not, 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 upgrades. For example, if CBB 1 is released in February 2016, users can skip June 2016 CBB 2, but must deploy October 2016 CBB 3 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 having some flexibility in the timing of updates.