Microsoft Denies Claims of Imminent Launch of Office for iPad [Updated x4]

[MacinDoc]

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It would be disappointing if it didn't happen.

 

[MacSince1990]

I like how MR reports things and an hour later retracts it. At least keep it off the FP.

 

[marksman]

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Without reading any comments yet, I think iPad office is a planned part of the iPad 3 unveil and thus why Microsoft is shoving the toothpaste back in the tube

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Do you think that Apple was going to announce MS Office on March 7 along with the iPad 3?

Definitely would have caused some stir.

I think it is still the plan. Apple and Microsoft have a crazy history together and this makes total sense. Clearly planned to be unveiled at the iPad 3 announcement. Office is the most used software ever so it is a big deal for apple and Microsoft

 

[scottsjack]

Some of the later articles on the Web brought up a point that I didn't think of when I posted earlier. It would be totally stupid for Microsoft to offer an iPad version of Office. Not only would it cost them Windows 8 sales it would also divert profit money into the Apple App Store. Why would they want to help a competitor when they already have a huge uphill battle ahead of themselves in the tablet world?

Microsoft's best strategy is to make Office and all of it's connected functions exclusive to both Win8 ARM and Win8 x86. The right high-quality devices could give Apple some real competition in the business tablet market.

 

[stellaclose]

March 7

Featured at iPad 3/2S event - "One more thing"

Introduced by Tim C and demoed by MS rep TBC.

 

[JAT]

Every copy of Office put on an iPad would eliminate a future purchase of their tablet computer. Many many people would rush out to purchase an iPad if they could run Office on it. Microsoft doesn't want to promote iPad sales. They'll hold out until their tablet sales have been established.

What Microsoft tablet?


I'm not sure why people are so crazed over this. I think most just read the MR headline, and not the actual quote.

"The Daily story is based on inaccurate rumors and speculation. We have no further comment."

Seriously, that says absolutely nothing. It could mean "inaccurate" because they already submitted the app. It could mean they are about to announce the cessation of all Office products. It could mean she misread it and thought they were talking about poodles.

 

[marksman]

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Actually that is a horrible strategy. There will be 100,000,000 iPads out there at the end of the year. Hording office will not make up for those lost iPad sales at all.

You will see at the iPad 3 announcement

 

[JAT]

Some of the later articles on the Web brought up a point that I didn't think of when I posted earlier. It would be totally stupid for Microsoft to offer an iPad version of Office. Not only would it cost them Windows 8 sales it would also divert profit money into the Apple App Store. Why would they want to help a competitor when they already have a huge uphill battle ahead of themselves in the tablet world?

Luckily for Microsoft, they almost assuredly have people on staff with better economics and accounting abilities than this. That is a horrible take.

 

[jackc]

Featured at iPad 3/2S event - "One more thing"

Introduced by Tim C and demoed by MS rep TBC.

Although important for the iPad, I'm not sure it's a cool enough announcement for a "one more thing"

 

[VenusianSky]

Every copy of Office put on an iPad would eliminate a future purchase of their tablet computer. Many many people would rush out to purchase an iPad if they could run Office on it. Microsoft doesn't want to promote iPad sales. They'll hold out until their tablet sales have been established.

Microsoft isn't making a tablet, nor are they making a tablet-only version of Windows. Aside from the possibility of an ARM version, Windows 8 is the same OS they are developing for servers, desktops and x86 tablets. Even a windows 8 ARM edition will still be based on the same code. By developing an ARM version, they can eliminate the need to code a completely separate mobile OS, like Windows Mobile 7. If Microsoft was concerned about sales of Windows 8 because of an iOS version of Office, they wouldn't make it. Windows 8 will sell regardless. Also, I would have to believe that Microsoft gladly embraces sales of iOS devices because iCloud is running on Microsoft Azure (as well as Amazon). The more iOS devices, the more Apple subscribes to these services, which also happen to run on Microsoft Windows HyperV servers. Basically, every iCloud account is cash in Microsoft's pocket.

 

[Renzatic]

Luckily for Microsoft, they almost assuredly have people on staff with better economics and accounting abilities than this. That is a horrible take.

Lets see. MS is intending to release a competing platform. Office is one of the main draws towards said competing platform, to the point that it comes standard on all ARM tablet revs.

Yeah, guys! Lets go ahead and release one of our star products on the competitions currently well entrenched and wildly popular platform, months ahead of the release of our initial offering! It's a genius idea!

 

[sparks05]

Where is update number 4?

 

[aggri1]

I think it'd be great to have Office on iOS. More options. Some people need those particular applications, after all, and having them available means that they can consider using an iPad to get their work done.

I don't want to use iWork products because I don't know how long they'll exist. Perhaps Apple will suddenly drop them, and in the future when those applications no longer work, my documents will suddenly become useless.

I used ClarisWorks and AppleWorks for a while, and have learnt my lesson not to trust Apple as far as longevity is concerned. This isn't an issue for all document types of course, but for some it most certainly is. Meanwhile, Office still happily opens Word 5.1 documents from __*1992*__!

I wholeheartedly agree with those other posters here who loathe the ribbon interface. I hope we never lose the menu bar on the Mac. Oh, wait...

 

[faroZ06]

Not making that big mistake again, are they?

Whatever, I actually love iWork compared to Office except that Excel is way better than Numbers. Apple just needs to step it up on Numbers and make iWork documents work in all versions of iWork. Pages and Keynote are just great though, WAY better than Office and very compatible with Office.

Well, you can set it to automatically keep a full-quality PDF in every iWork doc, which I do.

 

[AppliedMicro]

Not only would it cost them Windows 8 sales it would also divert profit money into the Apple App Store. Why would they want to help a competitor when they already have a huge uphill battle ahead of themselves in the tablet world?

They wouldn't want to help a competitor. But they still might want to have Office on the iPad - and even the iPhone maybe.

Vice versa: Doesn't Apple "help" Microsoft by making their iWork apps read and export to MS Office formats? Of course they do. But that's not the point. The point is rather to offer customers some kind of transitional route and assurance to migrate from Microsoft's to Apple's offerings. Preview capability for Office files is even built into Mac OS X.

One has to keep things in perspective: Apple still don't want or simply cannot afford ignoring the Office's dominance in the (eponymous) Office software market. Yet quite opposite might be true in the mobile device market: Apple is the dominant player in this market. iPhones and iPads are the current craze amongst senior executives and employees.

On the other hand, what portable post-PC devices (Tablets, Phones) does Microsoft currently have out to enthrall corporate IT? Nothing! Heck, there's hardly any "hot" new device running any software from them. Windows CE is old and outdated, Windows Phone 7 isn't mature enough and overly consumer-oriented. And Android and iOS devices don't run any meaningful Microsoft Software.

By offering Office for the iPad, Microsoft might at least provide some sort of smooth transition to their own tablet offerings and keep people in their Office eco-system.

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

I'm actually not familiar with the iPad version, I was thinking of the Mac version -- it's slow as s$%#

Ahh. Yes, mac version is slow too. Took ages to open up my files. But other than the slow start, it worked fine enough for me. But then as I said, my spreadsheet requirements aren't really too much and I was using the first gen MacBook (almost 6 years old) so I thought that might be why it was so slow. Still it was more than enough for me and the iPad version though even slower, is workable too as long as I split my spreadsheet twice a month instead of a single one for a month. Hopefully iPad 3 will fix that too. Fingers crossed!

 

[AppleScruff1]

Microsoft isn't making a tablet, nor are they making a tablet-only version of Windows. Aside from the possibility of an ARM version, Windows 8 is the same OS they are developing for servers, desktops and x86 tablets. Even a windows 8 ARM edition will still be based on the same code. By developing an ARM version, they can eliminate the need to code a completely separate mobile OS, like Windows Mobile 7. If Microsoft was concerned about sales of Windows 8 because of an iOS version of Office, they wouldn't make it. Windows 8 will sell regardless. Also, I would have to believe that Microsoft gladly embraces sales of iOS devices because iCloud is running on Microsoft Azure (as well as Amazon). The more iOS devices, the more Apple subscribes to these services, which also happen to run on Microsoft Windows HyperV servers. Basically, every iCloud account is cash in Microsoft's pocket.

Shhhhh!! Don't tell LTD that. Imagine what would happen if it were common knowledge that there would be no iCloud without Microsoft?

 

[haruhiko]

An iPad 3 with Retina Display and Microsoft Office!?!??!??

To Apple & Microsoft:
Shut Up and Take My Money (TM)

 

[VenusianSky]

Shhhhh!! Don't tell LTD that. Imagine what would happen if it were common knowledge that there would be no iCloud without Microsoft?

Yeah, I wonder why there has been such little discussion about it.

 

[troop231]

Lol, works on iPhone too

 

[AppleScruff1]

Yeah, I wonder why there has been such little discussion about it.

Probably denial. Or is that a river in Africa?

 

[haruhiko]

Lol, works on iPhone too

LOL just make a webpage with that logo and add it to your home screen

 

[Asia8]

If only they release Office 2003 for iPad the newer versions are so bloated and hard to use I've had to downgrade.

 

[ABernardoJr]

@ the 4th edit... I wonder how you prove something isn't coming out in the coming weeks... lol The only thing I could see happening in the coming weeks is that it *is* coming out, otherwise there's no reason they wouldn't be able to make it clear now. Maybe they'll hold a big press conference to state that it isn't coming out? lol

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I like how MR reports things and an hour later retracts it. At least keep it off the FP.

They report what the rumors are. When the rumors are corrected or altered, then MR corrects or alters their article, which is a good thing that they're keeping everyone updated. Besides, how do you prove a rumor isn't possibly false before reporting it? By definition that wouldn't even be a rumor.

 

[JAT]

Lets see. MS is intending to release a competing platform. Office is one of the main draws towards said competing platform, to the point that it comes standard on all ARM tablet revs.

Yeah, guys! Lets go ahead and release one of our star products on the competitions currently well entrenched and wildly popular platform, months ahead of the release of our initial offering! It's a genius idea!

Intending? M$ has had Win on tablet style laptops for 20 years. If they can make $10 per app on iOS, they'd make more money in the first year of iOS-Office than they did on Windows (tablet) in history.

Win8 is also for computers. Office will still be purchased on computers. M$ will still make money.

You guys really need some classes or something. You even said "wildly popular". Really?!