Microsoft announced it is adding another new Microsoft 365 bundle to the lineup. Dubbed the M365 A1 per-device license, it will be available to users starting November 1 and will cost $38 per device for up to 6 years.
Redmond has also developed a new Teams feature called Teams Content from Camera, which is designed to cater to the education market, according to an announcement by the officials.
Teams Content from Camera enables students and teachers to share physical handwriting from a whiteboard or a document using the laptop camera. This feature will be available in December this year.
Who is this for?
The officials also said the new M365 A1 for devices plan includes the full Microsoft 365 apps suite, including Teams and office, Minecraft: Education edition, and cloud management.
Microsoft is pitching the $38 per device license to provide more for “students and educators” relative to what the competition offers at the same price. We think they are talking about Google here. However, that does not compute, especially if you look at the numbers.
The most expensive Google Workspace for Education SKU costs about $5 per student per year and includes access to advanced analytics, security, teaching and learning resources, and more.
No price increase for education
This Summer, Microsoft said that the company was planning to significantly increase the price of many of its M365/Office 365 SKUs as of March 2022.
At the time, the officials said that there would not be a March 2022 price increase for the consumer and education SKUs. The change, it turned out, would apply to commercial and business SKUs only.
To find out how you can get started with this education-oriented license as a student and educator, visit the Microsoft 365 website or get in touch with sales to talk to an education expert.