Microsoft will introduce Microsoft 365 Basic, which will offer 100GB of cloud storage at $1.99 per month.
The new low cost 365 subscription will offer extra features, which will sit in between the free option and the $6.99 a month Personal subscription, and will be available worldwide on January 30, reports The Verge.
Microsoft 365 Basic will be available with an ad-free Outlook web and mobile experience and enhanced security features.
The security features will include data encryption for an Outlook mailbox, suspicious link checking, and virus/malware scanning for attachments.
Customers with existing OneDrive 100GB storage will be automatically upgraded to Microsoft 365 Basic for the same $1.99 monthly fee.
“Later this year, we’ll have a bunch of stuff with OneDrive advanced security that will be available as well, that includes Personal Vault, password-protected and expiring links, ransomware detection and recovery, and bulk file restore,” Gareth Oystryk, director of product marketing for Microsoft 365, said.
Microsoft 365 Basic will also include access to the company’s technical support, including phone and online chat support for both Microsoft 365 apps and Windows 11.
Other than the amount of cloud storage, the main difference between the $6.99 Personal subscription and the new $1.99 Basic subscription is that Microsoft 365 Basic does not include access to the desktop versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps, instead, basic subscribers will have to rely on the web or mobile versions, said the report.
