Microsoft Steps into Evernote Territory with OneNote for the Mac

Microsoft is making a move into Evernote's market on the Mac with its OneNote app. The app has been available to Windows users for some time, but not for the Mac until now.

Microsoft OneNote for the Mac. Finally.Microsoft OneNote for the Mac. Finally.

Microsoft OneNote for the Mac lets user create and manage notes, photos, and other pieces of information. It can synchronize that data with OneNote on other platforms such as iOS on the iPhone and iPad, Windows, and Android.

The Mac version brings with it a couple firsts, according to The Verge: Microsoft has previously charged for the OneNote service, but it's now free, as are the companion apps on all platforms. The company also introduced a new cloud API so third-party developers can add OneNote support to their apps, and is offering a new clipping feature that lets users send content from their Web browser into OneNote.

So far, Microsoft has Feedly, News360, IFTTT, JotNot, Weave, and Genius Scan on board, along with Livescribe, Brother and Epson.

If OneNote's features sound familiar, there's a good chance you already know about Evernote. The two are similar, although Evernote has been available for the Mac as well as iOS for several years. Microsoft OneNote may be about ten years old, but only now is available for the Mac.

Considering Microsoft's absence from the Mac, Evernote has been able to become the de facto standard for cloud-based content storage and management. Microsoft will be hard pressed to get a strong foothold with OneNote in the Apple camp considering Evernote's multi-year head start.

It's great to see OneNote on the Mac because there are plenty of Microsoft product users that will finally be able to take advantage of the service's features on every platform they use. For Evernote users, however, there isn't a compelling reason to jump switch to the Microsoft camp.

Microsoft OneNote for the Mac is available for free at Apple's Mac App Store. The iPhone and iPad versions are free downloads at the iTunes-based App Store.