Multiple outlets are reporting that Microsoft may be hard at work on a version of their popular Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications for the iPad.

Microsoft is prepping a version of its Office productivity software to run on Apple's iPad, according to The Daily. The iPad-based news outlet, citing "sources," reported that Microsoft is working to adapt Office for Apple's tablet. The app could arrive before the next version of Office for Mac, which is expected to debut late next year.
(Credit: Apple)

Microsoft didn't comment directly on the report.

"We already deliver Office on multiple platforms and devices and are committed to expanding in the future, but have nothing further to share today," the company said in a statement.

Microsoft already offers a handful of apps for both the iPad and the iPhone, including Bing and Windows Live Messenger, among others. Creating Office for the iPad could help the device's prospects in work environments, a market where it's already making inroads at the expense of Windows PCs.

Microsoft is also busily working on Windows 8, the next version of its flagship operating system, for tablet computers. It has yet to disclose details about a touch-version of Office that will run on those devices.

Apple introduced its own office software, iWork, as individual apps for the iPad in March of last year. That suite consists of Pages, Keynote and Numbers, the same lineup Apple offers Mac OS X users. All three of those apps can open and export Microsoft Office files that match up with Microsoft's Word, PowerPoint and Excel software, with Apple providing ways to natively view those files in its own built-in e-mail application.

The Daily reported that the Office for iPad app would likely cost $10, the same amount Apple charges for each of its individual iWork for iPad apps.

Source: CNET

It would be great for me at school. Mind you £30 or more!

Sent from my one and only original iPad using iPF

It will certainly be interesting to see if Microsoft takes this step. And if they do how much of the functionality of Office can actually be accommodated in the iPad. After all, Apple is apparently unable to provide fully featured versions of Pages and Numbers for the iPad. Likewise, the various Office emulators (e.g. Documents To Go, Quick Office HD, etc.) do not provide some of the advanced features of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

I more or less expected Microsoft to reserve ports of their office software to the tablet version of Windows 8. If they decide to market a version for the iPad it suggests Microsoft may be less bullish on the prospects for Windows 8 tablets than they've maintained.

Where are these Windows 8 tablets you speak of?

Windows 7 has proved to be less than useless on the tablets, windows 8 is the rushed update that should be the bees knees for tablets and also PC's kepping intouch with tablets, i'm quite looking forward to seeing it.......I wont hold my breath though, Microsoft has a way of letting people down!!

Previewing Windows 8 - Microsoft Windows

It's a smart move if it happens. There is already a massive iPad user base and it is likley to increase over the holiday period and next spring with a new release. Office on the iPad will generate a lot of sales and reinforce Office as the only Productivity suite that is required on a desktop platform since the iPad will play nice with it. It will also put less pressure on the Windows 8 tablets and may even encourage sales of them given there is a cross platform tablet office suite meaning businesses can give their users the choice of iPad or Windows 8.

I just can wait start using MS Office for IPad!

I have zero confidence in their ability to deliver a useful, lean version of Office on the iPad.

Originally Posted by thewitt

I have zero confidence in their ability to deliver a useful, lean version of Office on the iPad.

I'm apprehensive as well based on the somewhat crippled versions of Office for Mac MS has issued over the years.

Having said that I hope it will be good for those folks working for companies that have IT departments mired in the "we can't use iPads because they aren't compatible yadda, yadda" past.

Until there is a workable MS Office Suite available for iPad, what do you suggest be used by a iPad user who would like to have Document and Spreadsheet capability? What existing App will provide the best results?

K