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Last month, we learned that Microsoft is revamping its Office apps in order to consolidate all its related offerings in a single place as well as improve the design. We got an early glimpse of this app a few weeks ago, but there's no word yet on when it will hit general availability.
While Microsoft had previously only talked about all the new functionalities it will be adding as a part of this redesign, it's perhaps expected that some features would be on the chopping block too. To that end, the Redmond tech firm has now detailed two capabilities that will be axed in the Office mobile apps by the end of this year.
The first is Transfer Files, which allows you to transmit files between your Office app and your computer. The process involves opening a URL and scanning a QR code in order to pair the two devices and transfer content. Microsoft thinks that this can easily be replaced by OneDrive, which is "seamlessly" integrated to Office so that you can access shared content regardless of device. As such, Transfer Files will be retired on December 31, 2022, but your previous files will remain unaffected.
The other feature being killed off in the Office mobile app is Share Nearby. As the name suggests, this allowed content sharing between Android devices in close vicinity. However, Microsoft believes that this capability does not meet all the current needs of its customers ads. Therefore, it will be getting the ax on December 31, 2022. Previous files will remain unaffected.
Microsoft has emphasized that these measures are being taken to evolve the Microsoft 365 app on mobile to offer the best value to customers, powered by solutions that are consistent, reliable, and enable productivity. These removals are part of the streamlining process for Microsoft 365 apps and it wouldn't be surprising to see similar announcements in the future as development continues.
