DailyTech - Quick Note: Microsoft Office Suite App for iPad On the Way

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Gadgets Quick Note: Microsoft Office Suite App for iPad On the Way
Tiffany Kaiser - February 21, 2012 11:04 AM

13 comment(s) - last by darkhawk1980.. on Feb 23 at 12:07 PM

(Source: thedaily.com)

Apple iOS owners can look forward to the app as soon as the coming weeks

Apple has announced a variety of upcoming launches recently, and now, Apple fans can add another item to the list of releases to look forward to -- an iPad version of Microsoft Office.

According to The Daily, the Microsoft Office Suite app for iPad has been completed by a design team and will soon be sent to Apple for approval.

The Microsoft Office Suite app will feature Word, PowerPoint and Excel, where files can be "created and edited locally and online."

The Daily mentioned that a prototype of the software showed that the interface resembles both the OneNote app and a bit of Metro, which is the new design for Windows Phone and the upcoming Windows 8 operating system.

There currently is no Microsoft Office Suite app being created for Google's Android mobile operating system, but Apple iOS owners can look forward to the app as soon as the coming weeks.

Apple fans also have other new releases to look forward to in 2012, such as the iPad 3's debut during the first week of March, the launch of OS X Mountain Lion, and iTunes/App Store redesigns.

Source: The Daily

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Timing

By melgross on 2/21/2012 11:57:52 AM , Rating: 2

I would have thought that MS would have waited until Win 8 came out, and their own Metro tablets were available. This will just give individuals, companies and government agencies another reason to buy more iPads, and pass on MS's own products.

I suppose they felt they had no choice. They could make more money from this then by selling licenses for their own tablets.

RE: Timing

By acer905 on 2/21/2012 12:16:53 PM , Rating: 5

My thoughts, the iOS version will likely be a paid app, where for Win8 it will be integrated right out of the box like WP7 with no extra cost. If that's the case, it is a good move. Keep spreading the influence of Office as far as possible, make boatloads of cash from it, and integrate it as an incentive to buy their own stuff instead.

Best thing, nobody can blast them for being a monopoly in the mobile world.

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RE: Timing

By Samus on 2/21/2012 2:05:13 PM , Rating: 1

I find it interesting the MacOS version of Office is superior (especially Office:Mac 2011) to the PC version.

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RE: Timing

By palladium on 2/23/2012 1:59:51 AM , Rating: 2

Really? What features of Office 2011 for Mac is not present in Office 2010 for Windows?

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RE: Timing

By darkhawk1980 on 2/23/2012 12:07:01 PM , Rating: 2

The only thing that is superior is the complex you have......

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RE: Timing

By TakinYourPoints on 2/21/2012 5:31:27 PM , Rating: 2

You're right. 55 million iPads and counting is something that can't be ignored. Microsoft has been releasing apps for iOS since the beginning and now have nearly two dozen on the platform. Android by comparison has about 5, all for phones and not tablets, and are only simple front ends to Bing and MSN as opposed to full featured applications.

They're almost all excellent, solid across the board. I really they way some of them integrate the Metro interface so well in the iOS environment. A Skydrive and official XBL app were recently released, and Photosynth (one of my favorites) strangely still isn't on WP7 yet (that needs to get on WP7 ASAP).

So yeah, Office on iOS is inevitable given its large install base and Microsoft's long history of developing for Apple platforms, and the Windows 8 version is obviously a given.

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RE: Timing

By bupkus on 2/22/2012 1:14:30 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
They could make more money from this then by selling licenses for their own tablets.

I for one will not hold my breath on any MS tablets.

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RE: Timing

By TakinYourPoints on 2/22/2012 7:09:09 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
They could make more money from this then by selling licenses for their own tablets.

The same logic applies to Office in general. It generates more income than Windows does, so it makes sense to have Office on other popular platforms. Office on Mac is a big moneymaker for Microsoft. Even with OS X smaller install base, a much larger percentage of OS X users buy Office than Windows users, making it a very profitable product.

If a platform like the iPad is on the way to 100 million users, then clearly it makes sense to develop for it even if it is on a "competing" platform. The same applies to all of the other Microsoft apps on iOS. Microsoft is a software company after all, and silly "Mac vs PC" arguments have little bearing in the real world.

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hmm

By bobsmith1492 on 2/21/2012 12:48:58 PM , Rating: 4

So I'm going to be typing and editing pictures on my big etch-a-sketch? No thanks... I'll stick to my desktop. Or laptop if needs be.

RE: hmm

By bupkus on 2/22/2012 1:12:53 AM , Rating: 2

I try to get things done with my TouchPad but things are just so much easier with Windows 7 or even Ubuntu/Mint on my old laptop with a real mouse and a lot faster, too.

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Would prefer Android

By SirKronan on 2/21/2012 9:18:45 PM , Rating: 2

This is great, and I'm happy for iPad users, but I'd really like to see Office hit Android more. With excellent devices like the Transformer series that have full-featured keyboards and the fastest growing smartphone segment, I think it makes sense to make an Office suite for Android. Obviously Apple has the big head start here, but I would be happy to pay money for a reasonably priced "true" Office suite for my smartphone. With HDMI out and full bluetooth keyboard and mouse support, I can certainly see myself doing some paperwork on the road. I would actually need to lug my laptop around less ...

RE: Would prefer Android

By TakinYourPoints on 2/21/2012 11:21:25 PM , Rating: 2

Two issues with that. One is that Microsoft is currently into iOS development over all other mobile platforms (even their own at the moment). The other is that 55 million iPads have been sold and will likely cross over 100 million this year, compared to <1 million Android tablets sold total.

Microsoft goes where the money is. It is the same reason why they make Office for Mac, percentagewise it has an even higher attach rate on OS X than it does on Windows. Microsoft will easily cross over a half billion in sales on iPad in the first few weeks alone (say 20 million units sold at $20-$30 for the suite).

The market for Android tablets isn't large, and at the rate they are selling I think that Windows 8 tablet sales will stomp them out in a matter of months. From Microsoft's standpoint it makes sense to continue developing for iOS while also releasing the Metro version of Office for Windows 8 tablets.

tldr - It comes down to money. :/

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