Microsoft is disclosing more details about its offer to let businesses and consumers who buy Office 2010 to upgrade to Office 2013 for free when it ships next year.
Earlier this month Microsoft released Office 2013 to manufacturing: RTM is the last phase of software development at Microsoft before a new product becomes generally available.
Microsoft has not said exactly when Office 2013 will ship other than to say it will be on retail shelves sometime in the first quarter of 2013.
[Related: Microsoft Reports Q1 Sales Slowdown In Advance Of Windows 8 Launch]
The new release is critical because it's been redesigned to work with Windows 8's touch-screen interface. That could prove crucial to Microsoft's efforts to expand Windows' footprint in the tablet computer market that's now dominated by the Apple iPad and tablets running Google's Android operating system.
Microsoft is set to launch the long-awaited Windows 8 in a series of events this week.
Under the offer anyone who purchases, installs and activates Office 2010 between now and April 2013 can upgrade to Office 2013 for free. To qualify, Office buyers must sign up at Office.com/offer for an email reminder Microsoft will send when Office 2013 is available with instructions to redeem the upgrade offer, according to a posting on Microsoft's website.
To be eligible, Office 2010 buyers must keep their dated sales receipt as proof-of-purchase, according to the lengthy Microsoft post. They have to have a Microsoft account -- what used to be known as a Windows Live ID -- used to sign in for such Microsoft services as Hotmail, SkyDrive, Windows Phone and Xbox Live. And the offer is limited to 25 redemptions per person or organization.
The posting also provides detailed information about qualifying Office products and upgrade options for Office 2010 owners. Owners of Office Professional 2010, for example, will have the option of upgrading to Office Professional 2013 or a one-year subscription to Office 365 Home Premium.
PUBLISHED OCT. 22, 2012
