Microsoft Office for iPad Reportedly Launching on November 10

[mTofu]

Price guess is... Free, just like onenote

oh sure it will be for free. they will microtransaction functions like copy and paste... and type.

 

[Works4Me]

The day it's launched is the day I buy. I know it will be a dumbed down version, but being able to edit and save even basic Word documents in native format will be a big help to me in my work!

 

[2 Replies]

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Following last week's report from BGR claiming that Microsoft is planning to launch Office for iPad in November, The Daily follows up by pinpointing the launch date as November 10.Image


The Daily has been following the Office for iPad story closely, revealing last November that Microsoft was actively working on the project and claiming that it had hands-on time with a prototype version of the app back in February. Microsoft has attempted to deny the reports, suggesting that The Daily is a victim of a misunderstanding about exactly what it has been shown, but The Daily stands by its reports.

Article Link: Microsoft Office for iPad Reportedly Launching on November 10

Good thing they've now got SkyDrive for both Mac and PC.
Otherwise accessing these iOS documents could be an issue.

 

[Kaibelf]

While I'm always glad more apps are coming out, we're on our third iPad now on the market. With Microsoft's money and industry clout, army of engineers, and legions of analysts and knowledge, why didn't this happen long ago? Seriously. The more I see tech giants completely fail to see the landscape that is clear to anyone who looks around them in an office or bus, the less faith I have in the American companies to provide for the future.

 

[SoGood]

What the heck do I care if it's planned to be launched in late Nov? That's still 6 months away!!! Completely meaningless.

 

[BWhaler]

Come on iWork 2012. Here's hoping there are huge upgrades to the iOS and Mac versions and more iCloud power.

 

[triceretops]

Compatible

Would it be cross compatible with Mac and PC versions? I believe that when I see it. Right now I have the latest versions on both platforms and they are much less than 100% compatible. In fact, I would have to say they aren't compatible at all.

 

[AustinIllini]

Would it be cross compatible with Mac and PC versions? I believe that when I see it. Right now I have the latest versions on both platforms and they are much less than 100% compatible. In fact, I would have to say they aren't compatible at all.

Agreed. Mac Word makes no sense. Open something from Office 2010 to Office for mac and it comes out the completely wrong aspect ratio. If someone knows what the deal is, I'm open for input.

 

[mso-m4c]

Microsoft releasing Office for iOS absolutely does not make sense considering Windows 8 release.

If MS Office is available (and solid) for the iPad, why would anyone (especially business users) buy Windows 8 tablet (ARM version)?

 

[0000757]

Microsoft releasing Office for iOS absolutely does not make sense considering Windows 8 release.

If MS Office is available (and solid) for the iPad, why would anyone (especially business users) buy Windows 8 tablet (ARM version)?

You're right! In fact, why would anyone buy a Windows Computer when Office is available on a Mac?


Oh wait...

 

[mso-m4c]

You're right! In fact, why would anyone buy a Windows Computer when Office is available on a Mac?


Oh wait...

That logic does not apply here. Windows was a dominant OS on desktops and established in enterprise for a long time.

In the tablet market, iPad is established and market leading product.
Microsoft should attempt to keep market exclusivity of the Office apps to its own tablet product or Windows 8 Tablets lose one (even only) advantage they would have over the iPad. Basically, Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot.

I am not saying that I would not like to see Office for iOS or that Microsoft won't release it, just saying that it does not make much sense from the Windows 8 marketing perspective.

 

[Macist]

This could only hurt the advantage of the upcoming Windows tablets. Unless, Windows charges an arm and a leg for iOS and gives it away on their tablets.

However this is greatly needed.

Microsoft are a business and they know an iOS app will bring them in huge amounts of money. Their own tablet? Maybe. Maybe not. Probably not.

So it makes sense for them to use the proven iOS market as a hedge and keep their Office brand strong.

 

[0000757]

That logic does not apply here. Windows was a dominant OS on desktops and established in enterprise for a long time.

Except that Microsoft Office came for Mac first....it came out before Windows even had the complete dominance.

 

[Les Kern]

Thinking 59 bucks, and thats 59 bucks I won't have to spend on a product MS is BOUND to screw up.
Recently I made the decision at work to not upgrade to Office 11, saving 75K, instead opting for OpenOffice. My days of buying MS products are over. It's a WORD PROCESSOR for goodness sake. For iPad? Office2 HD and Pages are pretty good. 9 bucks.

 

[Keebler]

Microsoft releasing Office for iOS absolutely does not make sense considering Windows 8 release.

If MS Office is available (and solid) for the iPad, why would anyone (especially business users) buy Windows 8 tablet (ARM version)?

I wondered about the same thing, but then I think of the economic woes of today and a corporation would be fairly idiotic if they ignored the millions of iPad users out there. There is power behind the weight of how many iPads are being sold each quarter (let alone by how many are already sold).

That is the only reason I can think of for MS to sell an Office iPad version. Even if they choose not to, they would be (potentially) cutting the hands off their Mac Office users who might be looking/hoping for a compatible mobile version.

 

[jlc1978]

PowerPoint for iPod touch can be the ultimate presentation tool if coupled with a Bluetooth remote like the Bluetooth version of the current PR-US2 Keyspan Wireless Presentation Remote
http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtSeriesID=517&EID=13372&txtModelID=3904
The presentation in your pocket. Always.

Is there a bluetooth version? All I could find were RF. I have a Targus BT remote but Lion broke compatibility and Targus never updated their driver. To bad, it was a nice remote.

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That logic does not apply here. Windows was a dominant OS on desktops and established in enterprise for a long time.

In the tablet market, iPad is established and market leading product.
Microsoft should attempt to keep market exclusivity of the Office apps to its own tablet product or Windows 8 Tablets lose one (even only) advantage they would have over the iPad. Basically, Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot.

I am not saying that I would not like to see Office for iOS or that Microsoft won't release it, just saying that it does not make much sense from the Windows 8 marketing perspective.

Actually, it does. It fits in well with MS' Office everywhere strategy by bringing in the dominate tablet; they are trying to build a productivity ecosystem much as Apple is doing with their entertainment one.

By expanding to Apple devices they make their system more attractive, and support a broader mix of devices.

 

[roadbloc]

Microsoft releasing Office for iOS absolutely does not make sense considering Windows 8 release.

If MS Office is available (and solid) for the iPad, why would anyone (especially business users) buy Windows 8 tablet (ARM version)?

Microsoft is a software company. They have been known to make software for more than their own platforms before. In fact, that is how they started out.

 

[jonnysods]

Very cool. I hope that it is cross compatible and can sync with Dropbox.

I'm also looking forward to the next Office update for the Mac system.

 

[Navdakilla]

November???

tell us this news in october.. we don't care about it now

 

[elgrecomac]

MS. Had better blow me away (unlike their desktop versions) or this is a non-issue. Personally I find iWorks to be completely satisfactory for the iPad. It does some things (such as convert files to iBook format) that word is incapable of doing. It's also as compatible as it needs to be with Office.

Personally I much prefer Keynote over PowerPoint. The price point for iWorks will also have to be matched for my company to consider it.

I appreciate your opinion but the reality is that 99.9% of the businesses around the world use MS Office (Word, Excel and PPT). A fully compatible tablet-based option will be a major reason for a broader adoption of BYOD tablets (Apple, Android and Windows 8). I do agree one could argue the virtues of Keynote over PPT, but I have not met anyone in a professional environment, save for Apple employees, who don't use the Office Suite. So we wait until November...

 

[mortenandersen]

Viewing option: Real full screen view!

I hope the iPad app Word will have an option to select Full screen as the Word 2003 version had, namely really USING the screen in its whole area and not only a part of it (having parts of the screen as vertical columns). I also hope that the ribbon can be romoved completely, so that the writer doesn't have to watch a screen with such an unwanted ribbon taking up very valuable and limited space!

 

[rudijh]

Stable would be nice, competition nicer

I will be impressed if Microsoft creates a solid stable version for the iPad that maintains compatibility with both the PC and Mac verisions of Office. I can't imagine it's possible that all functionality in an application like Excel with scripting will be included but hopefully editing between different platforms will maintain macros and other elements that are not supported on the iPad platform.

Better yet, I'd like to see this pressure Apple into taking Pages a lot further and give it much more complete compatibility with Pages on the Mac and with Word -- since Pages has the potential to be a much better App inmho.

-Rudi

 

[macducky]

Compatibility

Jeez....just another chance for MS to introduce more version compatibility problems!!!!

+without VBA & Macros it'll be almost useless for tons of users...(Mac2010)

 

[*Calypso*]

Stupid question, but how do I exchange Office documents between a Mac/PC and an iOS device that doesn't have a file system accessible for end users?

 

[dissidentme]

meh

Id rather have a kick-ass sales force on ios than office, QUICKOFFICE works just fine for me...

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Stupid question, but how do I exchange Office documents between a Mac/PC and an iOS device that doesn't have a file system accessible for end users?

huh? download dropbox or filesconnect