Microsoft office for iPad to be launched in February 2012

[iDan]

The Daily apparently reported rumors about Microsoft planning to bring the Office to the iPad. The sources cited are unnamed, but go on to say that Microsoft will update the Mac version of Office next year. Microsoft admitted, just after the iPad’s introduction back in early 2010 that the company was somehow looking at the possibility of bringing Office to users of iPad, but by the time the device was actually out on the shelves, the company was saying it had no current agenda regarding the project.

The combination of Microsoft Office, which is one of the most popular and useful tools in the history of Microsoft, will Apple will certainly make for a big smash hit. Apple alone generates revenue of $15 billion this year alone. The most important aspect is that iPad users will be able to have a choice. Either use Office or just chose to go with apps that Apple provides in its App store that are compatible with Office files. One of them is called iWork and has a spreadsheet, word processor and a program designed for presentations but the reviews aren’t to kind on it.

The rumor machine is spinning regarding the price of this new Office app, and it places it at about $10, but stubbornly Microsoft won’t make any comments about the matter. Also, there’s the news regarding the fact that Microsoft is working hard on the launch of its newest version of Windows. Does it mean that the company doesn’t have the time to look into the problem of an Office app? We certainly hope not!

Source: socialbarrel.com

 

[Archeus999]

????

Out of interest, why do you want this?!?!

The iWorks stuff opens & saves in MS, as you will know, and does the middle bit IMHO (and it's just that) better than MS.

I'm interested because I wasted >£100 on MS Office for Mac before discovering the iWorks Suite for my mini - costs less.

The MS stuff is still behind the Apple software that I wrote my thesis - engineering, text, graphs, maths etc etc - over 20 years ago. No kidding. And it cranks up just like a MS OS machine. I put Linux on a previously MS machine and the transformation is startling.

Plus, for iPad, there's limit to what you might expect an office suite app to do. Again, IMHO, QuickOffice pretty much does everything you'd want from MS apart from iCloud and, maybe, a few formatting extras (plus I have had issues with it crashing when opening PDF's, hence I use GoodReader/ Notability/ iWorks on the iPad).

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks.

 

[tlbaker]

Out of interest, why do you want this?!?!

The iWorks stuff opens & saves in MS, as you will know, and does the middle bit IMHO (and it's just that) better than MS.

I'm interested because I wasted >£100 on MS Office for Mac before discovering the iWorks Suite for my mini - costs less.

The MS stuff is still behind the Apple software that I wrote my thesis - engineering, text, graphs, maths etc etc - over 20 years ago. No kidding. And it cranks up just like a MS OS machine. I put Linux on a previously MS machine and the transformation is startling.

Plus, for iPad, there's limit to what you might expect an office suite app to do. Again, IMHO, QuickOffice pretty much does everything you'd want from MS apart from iCloud and, maybe, a few formatting extras (plus I have had issues with it crashing when opening PDF's, hence I use GoodReader/ Notability/ iWorks on the iPad).

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks.

Yes I already bought Pages for 10.00.

Sent from my Verizon Black 64GB iPad 2 IOS 5.0.1 Update using iPF

 

[hasrian]

Yeah,I try to learn to use iwork instead of MS also
Let's try

 

[jsh1120]

Out of interest, why do you want this?!?!

The iWorks stuff opens & saves in MS, as you will know, and does the middle bit IMHO (and it's just that) better than MS.

I'm interested because I wasted >£100 on MS Office for Mac before discovering the iWorks Suite for my mini - costs less.

The MS stuff is still behind the Apple software that I wrote my thesis - engineering, text, graphs, maths etc etc - over 20 years ago. No kidding. And it cranks up just like a MS OS machine. I put Linux on a previously MS machine and the transformation is startling.

Plus, for iPad, there's limit to what you might expect an office suite app to do. Again, IMHO, QuickOffice pretty much does everything you'd want from MS apart from iCloud and, maybe, a few formatting extras (plus I have had issues with it crashing when opening PDF's, hence I use GoodReader/ Notability/ iWorks on the iPad).

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks.

Sorry, but many of us use Office products on Windows machines. And there is simply no question that the sophistication and capabilities of Office products far exceed that of the iWorks suite, a product line that is, at best, a consumer level product. There is no doubt, of course, that Office for the iPad will not come close to the features available in the Windows (or I presume the Mac environment.) But that's true of the Apple products as well. (Try hiding cells in Numbers on the iPad.)

Having a fully compatible (if more limited) version of Office for the iPad would enable users who spend most of their lives working with Office to avoid many of the compatibility issues that crop up when trying to move from one environment to another. It's important to keep in mind that many, many iPad owners have no other Apple product and are unlikely to purchase one. (If I'm not mistaken, about half the users responding to a poll on this site are Windows users.) In short, iWorks on the iPad may "work" for an occasional user with few complex requirements, but it (and the various third party Office emulators) leave much to be desired in terms of a comparison with Office.

 

[Archeus999]

Sorry, but many of us use Office products on Windows machines. And there is simply no question that the sophistication and capabilities of Office products far exceed that of the iWorks suite, a product line that is, at best, a consumer level product. There is no doubt, of course, that Office for the iPad will not come close to the features available in the Windows (or I presume the Mac environment.) But that's true of the Apple products as well. (Try hiding cells in Numbers on the iPad.)

Having a fully compatible (if more limited) version of Office for the iPad would enable users who spend most of their lives working with Office to avoid many of the compatibility issues that crop up when trying to move from one environment to another. It's important to keep in mind that many, many iPad owners have no other Apple product and are unlikely to purchase one. (If I'm not mistaken, about half the users responding to a poll on this site are Windows users.) In short, iWorks on the iPad may "work" for an occasional user with few complex requirements, but it (and the various third party Office emulators) leave much to be desired in terms of a comparison with Office.

-----


I'd certainly agree that something like VBA (though aren't they pulling that?) gives Excel a clear advantage over Numbers if you are modelling and going in for more intensive business use (I don't know for sure but I would imagine it must be possible to code and dump the output in Numbers), but I would definitely rank KeyNote ahead of PP, and consider Pages better than Word (because it does everything I want it to do and it does it more quickly, more elegantly & more intuitively).

Of course, if it is about compatibility, and PC users understandably wishing to join up the iPad to the core PC with the least fuss, then agreed. From my perspective, I am trying to use the iPad as my laptop......and I'm no longer crunching Monte Carlo sims so I can live with the iPad iWorks.....AND the magnificent battery life!!

 

[tkfini]

I think IWork not helpful as much as Microsoft office cos Microsoft has most program that handled by user so if we use iWork for iPad how to open new Microsoft app used by laptop (just think about it) so apple company know that very well ( it will attract people by Microsoft app to satisfy users )
About my self i can't imagine using iPad with out Microsoft office.

 

[Mtnmedic]

I, for one, look forward to this. I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't done this already. Office is by far the most popular productivity suite in the world and there's really no reason why there shouldn't be an iPad app for Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.

Michael "Spam, spam, bacon, eggs and spam. Hold the bacon and eggs." Sent from my iPad 2 using iPF

 

[car_yy]

nice,but i hope is cheaper

 

[Mtnmedic]

nice,but i hope is cheaper

Actually, the discussion is that would likely have to be. Microsoft sells hundreds of millions of copies of Office for PC/Mac at hundreds of dollars each worldwide. Office on the iPad would not only be an extension of that experience for existing users but a potential hook for future Office purchasers. They almost HAVE to price it cheaper than Apple's $10 per component. The possibility exists that this could end up being an execution of Office 360, their stripped down web-based version at an even lower cost.

Michael "Spam, spam, bacon, eggs and spam. Hold the bacon and eggs." Sent from my iPad 2 using iPF

 

[jsh1120]

Actually, the discussion is that would likely have to be. Microsoft sells hundreds of millions of copies of Office for PC/Mac at hundreds of dollars each worldwide. Office on the iPad would not only be an extension of that experience for existing users but a potential hook for future Office purchasers. They almost HAVE to price it cheaper than Apple's $10 per component. The possibility exists that this could end up being an execution of Office 360, their stripped down web-based version at an even lower cost.

Michael "Spam, spam, bacon, eggs and spam. Hold the bacon and eggs." Sent from my iPad 2 using iPF

I doubt that Microsoft would have to set Office components at a lower price point than the $10 per piece price of the iWorks suite. On the other hand, it's almost certainly true that Office on the iPad won't match the functionality available on the Mac, much less the full functionality available on a PC. After all, even Apple can't provide a fully featured version of Pages or Numbers on the iPad. The iOS environment simply won't support it. I suspect you're correct that the version available on the iPad will be similar to Office 360 or the functionality offered by Office emulation software such as Documents To Go. I'd expect a price point between $10 and $20 per module.

 

[iLloyd]

Id get it i it was cheap enough..

But really.. What more will it be able to to than iWork or your other apps like docs to go ? They do the job for me anyway

Sent via my Opposable Thumbs

 

[iPaduaJoel]

Sorry, but many of us use Office products on Windows machines. And there is simply no question that the sophistication and capabilities of Office products far exceed that of the iWorks suite, a product line that is, at best, a consumer level product. There is no doubt, of course, that Office for the iPad will not come close to the features available in the Windows (or I presume the Mac environment.) But that's true of the Apple products as well. (Try hiding cells in Numbers on the iPad.)

Having a fully compatible (if more limited) version of Office for the iPad would enable users who spend most of their lives working with Office to avoid many of the compatibility issues that crop up when trying to move from one environment to another. It's important to keep in mind that many, many iPad owners have no other Apple product and are unlikely to purchase one. (If I'm not mistaken, about half the users responding to a poll on this site are Windows users.) In short, iWorks on the iPad may "work" for an occasional user with few complex requirements, but it (and the various third party Office emulators) leave much to be desired in terms of a comparison with Office.

I second this motion...

 

[jsh1120]

Id get it i it was cheap enough..

But really.. What more will it be able to to than iWork or your other apps like docs to go ? They do the job for me anyway

Sent via my Opposable Thumbs

That's the problem with assuming everyone else shares your requirements. Try hiding cells in "Numbers," for example.

 

[lauryn11]

Can't wait to have them on my hands.