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Microsoft Office for iOS and Android Arriving in November?

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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BGR reports that Microsoft is planning to launch Office for iOS in November this year, with the source claiming first-hand knowledge of the software running on an iPad. With the app's splash screen referring to it as "Office for iOS", the source also speculates that the app may also be coming to the smaller screens of the iPhone and iPod touch. In addition to its iOS effort, Microsoft is also said to be bringing Office to Android-based tablets in the same timeframe.

Microsoft had indicated soon after the launch of the original iPad that it was investigating the possibility of bringing Office to the platform, but ultimately stated that it had no plans for such an effort. The Daily has since claimed several times that Office for iPad is in fact in the works, reporting in February that it had even had hands-on time with a prototype of the app.

022112-tech-apps-office-ss-500x323.jpg

Photo of claimed Office prototype app running on an iPad (Source: The Daily)​

Microsoft denied the claim, but The Daily continues to stand by its report. Suggesting that there may have been a misunderstanding somewhere, Microsoft stated that the situation would become "clear in the coming weeks". No such clarification has yet surfaced, however.

Article Link: Microsoft Office for iOS and Android Arriving in November?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/23/microsoft-office-for-ios-and-android-arriving-in-november/
Z

Zwhaler

macrumors 604
Jun 10, 2006
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What about the price? Might be nice software to use with an iPad keyboard attachment... not so much using just the built in touch keyboard for long word documents.
 
J

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
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Mpls, MN
Since they are denying any existence of such work, I doubt a price would be forthcoming.

But...waiting.
 
nefan65

nefan65

macrumors 65816
Apr 15, 2009
1,354
14
Zwhaler said:
What about the price? Might be nice software to use with an iPad keyboard attachment... not so much using just the built in touch keyboard for long word documents.
Click to expand...

If they're smart, they'll use the same model as iWork for iPad. Individual for say $29.99/Each, or the whole thing for $79.99 [Word, Excel, and PP].
 
stridemat

stridemat

Moderator
Staff member
Apr 2, 2008
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For me this is a deal breaker for using the iPad at work. That is if it fully maintains formatting etc when editing documents created on a PC. To date the apps available cause me more problems.
 
B

Brenster

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2008
792
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Hopefully it'll be more feature rich and interoperable with the desktop counterparts than the current OneNote for iOS is.
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
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Given how much they are betting on Windows 8 and Windows RT, I would not expect an iOS or Android version of Office anytime soon. If Windows RT is a flop, then Microsoft might be forced to release a version for iOS and/or Android to stay relevant. I wouldn't be surprised if a product is in the works, but only as a backstop.
 
applesith

applesith

macrumors 68030
Jun 11, 2007
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There's a lot of money for MS to make with iOS Office, but they might want to keep it exclusive to Windows 8 for a competitive advantage.
 
Z

zzLZHzz

macrumors 6502
Mar 9, 2012
277
71
KPOM said:
Given how much they are betting on Windows 8 and Windows RT, I would not expect an iOS or Android version of Office anytime soon. If Windows RT is a flop, then Microsoft might be forced to release a version for iOS and/or Android to stay relevant. I wouldn't be surprised if a product is in the works, but only as a backstop.
Click to expand...

if microsoft has OneNote, Skydrive, Kinectimals, lync app for iOS, there is no reason why this isn't part of the plan. and every often those app by microsoft for iOS isn't available for andriod.

afterall the biggest enemies of microsoft isn't apple and vice versa but rather google.

and i am indeed interested to see how office for windows 8 would look like. would they make use of metro.
 
K

kustardking

macrumors regular
Jul 22, 2008
152
1
New York
iCaleb said:
Whenever I see the words Microsoft I get a headache.

Brings back bad memories.
Click to expand...

I like Microsoft, but for their Office products I get Ribbon Rage. Office's saving grace on OS X, because of OS X, is that MS is forced to keep the menu-bar navigation.
 
markintosh

markintosh

macrumors member
Jul 4, 2004
82
7
Boise, ID
MS is screwed either way...

Nearly 12 million iPads sold last quarter...even if only half purchased Word at $10 - that's $42 Million in revenue.

Let's say they make $50 a pop on licensing for Windows tablets. They would have to sell approx 8.4 million devices a quarter to make the same revenue (FYI - Windows RT is supposed to include Word, Excel, PP). No one but Apple is REMOTELY close to selling that many tablets.

If they release Office for iOS, they will effectively kill their own tablet plans.
 
Z

zzLZHzz

macrumors 6502
Mar 9, 2012
277
71
kustardking said:
I like Microsoft, but for their Office products I get Ribbon Rage. Office's saving grace on OS X, because of OS X, is that MS is forced to keep the menu-bar navigation.
Click to expand...

from what i see, microsoft seem to put in more app on iOS app than OS X.

i have nothing against the ribbon. but office for mac is heaven and earth different from office for windows. the features isn't up to scratch
 
MRU

MRU

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Aug 23, 2005
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The screenshot from the daily was a build off Office for Windows 8 running on a Remote Desktop App ( logmein or such) and not of Office for iPad of which there is still NO official information coming from any reliable source inside MAC BU.

A tablet version of Office is a selling point for Windows 8 tablet manufacturers, and would help it differentiate itself from IOS and Android rivals.

For that reason it will stay Windows 8 for the conceivable time ahead IMHO.
 
Last edited:
Mad Mac Maniac

Mad Mac Maniac

macrumors 601
Oct 4, 2007
4,802
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A little bit of here and a little bit of there.
It'll be interesting to see how it compares to iWork, both on functionality and price.

For those of you wondering about a metro interface... correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Microsoft is changing office to a metro interface even on Win8. That will remain a "windows classic" view (at least for the time being). So I seriously doubt there will be too much metro-like interfaces
 
E

engg2000

macrumors regular
Oct 25, 2009
121
21
Comment, NO
applesith said:
There's a lot of money for MS to make with iOS Office, but they might want to keep it exclusive to Windows 8 for a competitive advantage.
Click to expand...

There is no competitive advantage to withhold an app from the market from a software company's perspective. People are not going to pass up buying an iPad because there is no MS Office app. It actually makes more sense to have Office on every available platform so they can keep their user base.
 
MRU

MRU

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Mad Mac Maniac said:
It'll be interesting to see how it compares to iWork, both on functionality and price.

For those of you wondering about a metro interface... correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Microsoft is changing office to a metro interface even on Win8. That will remain a "windows classic" view.
Click to expand...

That is exactly it. That screenshot is from Office 15 on Windows 8 via a remote desktop application for iOS.


engg2000 said:
There is no competitive advantage to withhold an app from the market from a software company's perspective. People are not going to pass up buying an iPad because there is no MS Office app. It actually makes more sense to have Office on every available platform so they can keep their user base.
Click to expand...


Yes there is. When you have invested a lot of $$$$ to take on the tablet market with your new OS, Office for Win 8 platform would be a good selling point and market differentiator.
 
macbwizard

macbwizard

macrumors 6502
May 23, 2005
282
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nefan65 said:
If they're smart, they'll use the same model as iWork for iPad. Individual for say $29.99/Each, or the whole thing for $79.99 [Word, Excel, and PP].
Click to expand...

I hope they don't price it that high. I don't think it's worth more than $9.99 an app. Especially because there are sure to be compatibility issues.
 
M

Macclone

macrumors 6502
Mar 13, 2012
257
0
applesith said:
There's a lot of money for MS to make with iOS Office, but they might want to keep it exclusive to Windows 8 for a competitive advantage.
Click to expand...

Last time I checked, MS was a software company. Do they care about the platform or about the $$? Office is their future, not, their POS Win 8 OS.
 
F

Flitzy

Guest
Oct 20, 2010
215
0
It's worthless if it doesn't sync with Macs/iCloud.

Plus, no doubt, it will be vastly overpriced like most of their products.
 
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