Microsoft launched the stand alone Office 2013 product a few weeks ago, but the boxed copies that you might see in stores in the US don"t actually have a physical disc which you can use to install the productivity software. Instead, the boxed copy just contains a 25 digit product code that people type in to activate a downloadable software product.
That means that all copies of Office 2013 sold in the US and other parts of the world are technically Product Key Card (PKC) versions of the software. You can also simply purchase a 25 digit code online without having to go to go out and buy the boxed copy.
So does that mean the era of buying a copy of Microsoft Office on a disc is now over? Not quite, if you live in other parts of the world. Neowin contacted Microsoft and a company spokesperson told us via email", .... we are still selling discs in developing countries." The spokesperson did not reveal which specific countries have Office 2013 on sale in a disc format.
Additionally, the spokesperson told us, "Microsoft is no longer using PKC in reference to Office 2013, as we no longer have to differentiate between disc and 25-digit alphanumeric code as a means to download/activate. It’s just Office 2013 Home and Student, etc."
There was a report posted on Computerworld.com this week that claimed consumers could get some kind of discount if they purchased PKC versions of Office 2013. However, since US residents can"t actually buy anything but PKC versions, it"s unclear as to what kind of discounts the report was referencing. The Microsoft spokesperson we talked to would not comment on Computerworld.com"s report.
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