Microsoft has been moving towards user-based licensing rather than device-based licensing, but this approach may not perfectly suit certain environments, such as business process outsourcing (BPO) organizations. These large outsourcing firms often operate 24x7 call centers with rotating staff across the globe. For them, per-user licensing, especially for premium products like Microsoft 365, may not be cost-effective. In response to this price sensitivity, Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Frontline User as one of its newer offerings.

Known collectively as Microsoft 365 Frontline product, they cater to the needs of task workers and organizations with specific licensing requirements. Currently, there are four Frontline products available: O365 F3, M365 F1, M365 F3, and M365 F5 Security & Compliance.

The user experience in Frontline products differs from that of knowledge workers, particularly in Office applications. Frontline employees cannot use the traditional fat client loaded on their devices; they must instead use Office Web Apps. F1 users have read-only access to Office Web Apps and are granted a SharePoint Online Kiosk license. On the other hand, F3 users have read/write access to Office Web Apps and receive an Exchange Online Kiosk mailbox. The Windows operating system is also absent from F1, although it is included in F3.

While there are distinctions in the user experience between F1 and F3, the security suite remains the same across both editions. Both F1 and F3 come with the security suite (Enterprise Mobility + Security E3), which is also consistent with Microsoft's flagship product, Microsoft 365 E3."

Conclusion:

Microsoft's Frontline User offerings, in partnership with Apps4Rent, address licensing challenges for certain organizations, like BPO firms and task workers. These products provide a cost-effective solution, tailored for user-based licensing with essential features and security options. The Frontline User experience is optimized with Office Web Apps, making it suitable for day-to-day tasks. Apps4Rent offers reliable cloud hosting services for these Frontline products, ensuring seamless access and data security. Overall, these offerings demonstrate Microsoft and Apps4Rent's commitment to meeting diverse user needs efficiently.