Office 2010, the next version of the software suite, is not expected to arrive until next year, but a technology preview shows it to be another solid effort from Microsoft. When Office web applications launch, they will be free and available through Microsoft’s Windows Live set of online services. Businesses will be able to choose an Office 2010 licensing option that allows them to host their own Office web applications.With this release, Microsoft has polished and expanded upon the groundwork it laid with Office 2007, while continuing to add new capabilities, particularly in the area of networked collaboration. 
The software suite comes packed with meaningful improvements such as new cut-and-paste features for Word and new ways to broadcast your PowerPoint presentations online.But the most striking addition to Office 2010 is the introduction of Office Web Apps. These are lightweight versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote that are all accessible via desktop, mobile devices, and web browsers Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. Microsoft claims absolute document fidelity between the online and desktop versions of the Office 2010 apps. If true, this will be a huge step, as among other benefits it will allow users to open Office documents even if they don’t own the correct version of the suite. Microsoft says mobile versions of the suite will also be available by Office 2010’s formal launch.
Final versions of Microsoft Office 2010 and Office web applications are expected within the first half of 2010. Pricing is still unknown; however, Microsoft says it will bring the number of Office editions down from eight to five.