After testing five contenders it released in 2021, Microsoft has chosen the following default typeface for its productivity tools, such as Word and Outlook. It has been known as Bierstadt ever since. Aptos is its new name as of right now.
Aiming to Attract More Users
For some of the most well-known applications in the world, the change essentially amounts to a slight improvement. Because its Office products account for over 24% of its income, Microsoft doesn’t take such actions lightly. Because Microsoft wants to attract more end users and encourage current customers to spend more money, they are expanding more quickly than other business segments, such as video game content and search advertising.
When it comes time to renew subscriptions to Microsoft 365, formerly known as Office 365, Microsoft may present a stronger case if the main products appear to be in good condition. After receiving user feedback on the five new fonts, the company is now prepared to execute that.
Si Daniels, principal programme manager for Office design at Microsoft, said in a blog post on Thursday that “today we begin the final phase of this major change where Aptos will start appearing as the new default font across Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel for hundreds of millions of users.” And it will gradually become the default for all of our clients over the coming few months.
Story behind the Decision
For those who are used to it, Aptos will continue to be listed in the font list under the previous name of Bierstadt. The default font can also be changed in Aptos font. Before the release of Office 365 in 2011, this included earlier standards like Times New Roman, Arial, or even Calibri, which had been the default since 2007. Since Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, many people believe the company to be friendlier. However, this revised perception isn’t always represented when someone opens Outlook and begins drafting an email using a font that predates Nadella.
Microsoft commissioned font designer Steve Matteson to create a grotesque sans-serif typeface in 2019 that incorporates the iconic Helvetica. In an interview with CNBC this week, Matteson claimed that the business concealed the fact that it was examining it as a potential replacement for Calibri.
Matteson and his associates sent Microsoft four or five options to consider at the time while keeping the names of the contributors a secret because they were still employed by the font manufacturer Monotype. That’s significant, he continued, since the developers didn’t want his relationship with Microsoft to affect their choice.
