Google Apps Premier Edition Challenges Microsoft’s Inefficiencies
|
Written By Kate Zimmermann | February 22, 2007 | Share This
|
|
Google has launched a fee-based Premier Edition of Google Apps, aka, the Googlefied version of Microsoft Office. Google Apps Premier Edition includes Docs & Spreadsheets, Gmail, Google Talk, Calendar and Page Creator. The Premier Edition targets businesses (at $50 per user account/year) while a free Education Edition will be offered to educational institutions. Om Malik has some notes:
- 100,000 small businesses are running a trial of what is Google Office.
- The paid version will cost $50 per account per year and will get the buyers 10 gigabytes of storage and telephone support.
- Google’s Dave Girouard claims that at $50 a year, Google will make money.
- General Electric and Proctor & Gamble are running small trials of these applications.
Though Google Apps has nowhere near the capabilities of Microsoft Office, that may not be the point. Says Fortune,
“Selling web programs to businesses allows Google to see if it can replicate its ability to change products rapidly, which has been such a success in the consumer area.”
The launch of Apps Premier underscores Google’s intent to win through efficiency - both efficiency of service and efficiency of product innovation. As Google quotes in their press release,
“‘So much of business now relies on people being able to communicate and collaborate effectively,” said Gregory Simpson, CTO for General Electric Company. “GE is interested in evaluating Google Apps for the easy access it provides to a suite of web applications, and the way these applications can help people work together. Given its consumer experience, Google has a natural advantage in understanding how people interact together over the web.’
“‘Businesses are looking for applications that are simple and intuitive for employees, but also offer the security, reliability and manageability their organizations require,” said Dave Girouard, vice president and general manager, Google Enterprise. “With Google Apps, our customers can tap into an unprecedented stream of technology and innovation at a fraction of the cost of traditional installed solutions.’”
Good news for businesses, bad news for the IT department.
Worth the Read:
- Google Apps Premier Edition Launches - One Small Step Towards Google Office (Read/Write Web)
- Google Apps - MS Office Killer? (Rogerd’s Notebook)
- Google Needs to Read the ‘Hailstorm’ History Books (All About Microsoft)