Microsoft's Czech Unit Reportedly Confirms Office for iOS Coming in March 2013 [Updated]

[MacRumors]

The Verge reports that a Microsoft product manager today confirmed that the company is working on versions of Microsoft Office for both iOS and Android, targeting a March 2013 release. The comments were made to Czech site IHNED.cz [Google translation] at a press event in that country.

The Verge also notes that it has seen a press release from Microsoft's team in the Czech Republic confirming the launch plans.

"In addition to Windows, Office will be also available on other operating systems, Windows Phone, Windows RT, Mac OS, Android, iOS and Symbian," says Microsoft, while separately noting that there will also be a new version of Office Web Apps too. [...]

The press release also mentions that Office 2013 will be made available to businesses in December, with a consumer launch scheduled for the end of February 2013. "Office 365 services and other Office products for mobile (phones and tablets) will be released from March 2013," says Microsoft.

There has been considerable confusion over the possibility of Office for iOS, with The Daily having claimed in February that it had hands-on time with a working prototype of the software but Microsoft denying the report's details. In May, a pair of reports narrowed the release of Office for iPad (and possibly iPhone) to November of this year, with November 10 being floated as the actual date. It now appears, however, that the iOS launch may track more closely with the broader Office 2013 release.

Update 8:29 AM: IHNED.cz's Otakar Schon has followed up to let us know that there was a miscommunication with the Microsoft representatives and that the timeline for an Office release on iOS and Android is "after March".

Update 10:51 AM: Microsoft head of PR Frank X. Shaw released this statement on Twitter:

The information shared by our Czech Republic subsidiary is not accurate. We have nothing further to share.

Article Link: Microsoft's Czech Unit Reportedly Confirms Office for iOS Coming in March 2013 [Updated]

[jbrown]

Oh goody

[iThinkIt]

just one more thing i will have to purchase.....

[AustinIllini]

I'm glad that Office is coming to iOS...


...I'm mad we still have to suffer through Office

[needfx]

I am more interested in the app opening, editing & saving any office document available in the phone (eg dropbox)

[newyorksole]

just in time for iPad 4 !

[ChrisTX]

I thought Symbian was either dead or a discontinued platform? Not sure why Microsoft would bother developing for it.

[johncrab]

Wheeeee! I have missed the buggy bloatware experience on my iPhone. I can't wait to download this and experience days of frustration and crashes.

/SNARK OFF

[Le Big Mac]

What is Microsoft's PR team in the Czech Republic doing making this announcement?

Seems a little, well, curious.

[UnfetteredMind]

Symbian???? I wouldn't think that would be worth their time, but perhaps due to their ties to Nokia?

[foobarbaz]

Symbian? Yeah, right... That guy was probably talking about mobile-focused web apps.

[nfl46]

Ah, I guess they are waiting on the iPad 4 in March.

[darko256]

Will Microsoft put Access database software into the OSX version of MS Office 2013?

[Colpeas]

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if the price tag was "only $149.99"

[Kaibelf]

Just in time for the FOURTH iPad. What is going on with MS? If this is how they are going to operate, they aren't worth considering anymore.

[ChristianJapan]

Better late as never ... But anyway for my company deployment we decided an office package from Korea. That had some impressive rendering of PPT files. Also bigger XS files had no issue.
So MS has a bit time to deliver something strong. We might replace if the MS solution is ok. Wish to get a beta version

[Drunken Master]

Will it run well?

MS Office 2011 crashes on my MBP running ML more than a drunk driver in a demolition derby.

[gregwyattjr]

I wonder how Office will fair against iWork. I can't imagine Microsoft building a better suite for iOS than Apple.

[joneill55]

Originally Posted by Kaibelf

Just in time for the FOURTH iPad. What is going on with MS? If this is how they are going to operate, they aren't worth considering anymore.

Bing, bing, bing (pun) Winner, winner, chicken dinner! MS has been pretty irrelevant for a long, long while IMO.

[BornAgainMac]

Office on Windows 8 tablets will probably be much better. Don't believe me, look what happened with Office on the Mac.

[Decorative]

Are productivity apps like Pages/Numbers worth it on the iPad?

[Fairthrope]

Originally Posted by Le Big Mac

What is Microsoft's PR team in the Czech Republic doing making this announcement?

Seems a little, well, curious.

You just won't get a bigger bang for buck in software industry than Eastern Europe. Maybe that's where the project has been delegated to.

[314631]

Users don't want Microsoft apps on their Apple devices. They want the total integrated solutions such as Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

[jazz1]

Well since work forced me to use Office over Apple applications I guess I'm glad my iPhone and iPad will hopefully get apps that work better with Exchange. Exchange doesn't seem to like iCal, Apple Mail, or my native iOS applications on my iOS devices.

[Fairthrope]

Originally Posted by UnfetteredMind

Symbian???? I wouldn't think that would be worth their time, but perhaps due to their ties to Nokia?

That, and there are too many Symbian handsets in service not to try. 3/4 of Nokia handsets are still on Symbian. They need to keep old and current customers too.

Aren't they supposed to lure old Nokia customers back to sell Lumia to among other things?

This might even help Nokia if one day they decided to abandon the U.S.