The Office for Android apps can now access a wider range of cloud storage options including Dropbox, Box, Egnyte and Tencent with more to come.
We’ve mentioned before Microsoft’s Cloud Storage Partner Program which allows non-Microsoft providers to get a link inside the Office apps. It’s something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago – non-Microsoft products getting visibility within Office itself.
Source: Microsoft
These storage options were already in Office for Apple devices – now they’re in Office’s Android apps as well.
You can open documents directly from these ‘partners’ cloud storage and share them with other people. You’re not locked into using OneDrive or SharePoint. (However, with 1TB of OneDrive cloud space included with Office 365 accounts, it’s going to be the choice for many people).
According to Microsoft, Citrix ShareFile, Edmodo and Learnium will be added soon.
The glaring omission from the Cloud Storage Partner Program is Office for Windows or Mac.
The main Office programs still live in a ‘Microsoft only’ bubble.
Integrating other cloud providers, like Dropbox or Google Drive, requires an external app.
