First launched last October, Sway is Microsoft’s first addition to the Office product line in years, one that does much the same thing that PowerPoint does. However, whereas PowerPoint gives users plenty of control over how their images and texts are arranged and presented, Sway adopts a much more minimalist and simple approach by doing most of the work for you in exchange for having less customization options. Originally only available as a preview release, Microsoft made the full version of the app available to iOS and Windows 10 users earlier today.
As of today, Microsoft is making native Sway apps generally available for iPhones, iPads and, for the first time, Windows 10.
Microsoft officials have taken to calling Sway a “digital storytelling tool.” The product allows users to create “Sways,” which are custom-designed documents comprised of words, images, videos and other media. The back-end processing, “remixing” and storage components of Sway happen in the cloud, making Sway both an app and a service. Microsoft first introduced Sway last October. The free Sway for Windows 10 app is rolling out via the Windows Store as of today. The Windows 10 version of Sway allows users to integrate photos taken with the cameras on their Windows 10 devices directly into their Sways. It also provides offline capabilities via caching which could be handy for users employing Sway to present at a conference with iffy Wi-Fi, for example. “The Windows 10 app is the most full-featured version of Sway we have,” said Director of Program Management Chris Pratley. The Sway for Windows 10 release is designed for use on PCs and tablets; a version of the product built specifically for Windows Phones “will arrive in the coming months,” officials said.
