Google Makes QuickOffice Apps Free, Adds 10GB of Storage

[mmadhankumar]

Google is making its Quickoffice apps free for all, allowing users to access Microsoft Office documents on the cheap from their iOS or Android gadget.

"Everyone likes free stuff, which is why starting today we're making Quickoffice available for free, for everyone," Alan Warren, vice president of engineering at Google, wrote in a blog post. "With Quickoffice, you can edit Microsoft Office documents across your devices, giving you the freedom to work with anyone no matter what hardware or software they're using."

Google acquired Quickoffice in June 2012. In December, it debuted on the iPad for free, and in April, Google released Quickoffice apps for Android and iPhone. Quickoffice Pro sold for $14.99 on iPhone and Android phones, while Quickoffice Pro HD was $19.99.

Quickoffice integrates with Google Drive. If you sign into your Google Account from Quickoffice before Sept. 26, Google will give you an additional 10GB of storage for two years.

"While the easiest thing to do is simply convert your old files to Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, Quickoffice gives you another way to work with people who haven't gone Google yet," Warren wrote.

The Quickoffice apps include a few new features, including a refreshed icon, the ability to create .ZIP folders, and view charts in Excel and PowerPoint files. It also works across devices, "so you don't have to worry about installing separate versions anymore when you go from using your phone to editing on your tablet," Warren said.

The apps are available via Google Play and the App Store. These are different from the previously released Quickoffice Pro and Quickoffice Pro HD apps, which will no longer be supported after March 31, 2014. They are also not completely compatible with iOS 7, so Google recommended that current users switch to the updated, free versions.



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