After years of rumors, Office for iPad could arrive before the top of the month. Here is what we all know.
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A native version of Microsoft Office for iPads is the software equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster: rumored to exist, endlessly discussed, and stubbornly unrevealed. That may all change by the tip of the month. In line with multiple reports published late Monday, Microsoft will announce Office for iPad on March 27 at an event in San Francisco.
Will the much-anticipated release live up the hype? Here is what we all know to date about Microsoft Office for iPad.
1. Office for iPad may be Satya Nadella’s first major announcement as CEO.
Microsoft issued press invitations late Monday to a March 27 event at which new CEO Satya Nadella will deliver remarks “regarding the intersection of cloud and mobile.” Citing unnamed sources acquainted with Microsoft’s plans, Reuters, ZDNet, and The Verge each subsequently reported Office for iPad will debut on the event. A Microsoft representative told InformationWeek the corporate had no comment in regards to the press conference’s itinerary or forthcoming Office products.
[Microsoft’s own Surface 2 tablet is now LTE-ready. Read Microsoft Surface 2 With LTE: Winner For Mobile Pros?]
2. Office for iPad could take cues from Office Mobile.
Office for iPad could resemble Office Mobile, in line with The Verge. Office Mobile is already available for iPhones, Android smartphones, and Windows Phone devices, though only Windows handsets include the apps out-of-box, without an Office 365 subscription.
Office for iPads could resemble Office Mobile.
3. Office for iPad will earn billions, but Microsoft might need already left billions more at the table.
The notion that Office for iPad will earn billions is virtually beyond dispute; a union between the world’s most well-liked operating system and foremost tablet carries obvious appeal. That said, iPad users have already grown familiar with free Office competitors, including Google Docs and Apple’s iWork suite. Office boasts richer tools than any alternatives, but on a tablet form factor, a deep list of features is arguably less significant than the best interface.
Gartner analyst Michael Silver told InformationWeek in an interview last month that Microsoft cannot simply transfer Office’s desktop experience to a tablet. “To some degree, i want two applications for every [interface] i exploit: a little-friendly one, after which a desktop one for more detailed work,” he said.
Forrester analyst David Johnson agreed, declaring that Office for iPad “ought to be strong in a couple of areas. What it does, it should do great.”
Office remains the business standard, especially at larger corporations, and lots of enterprises will integrate Office for iPad because they’ve already signed up for Office 365. These forces alone guarantee the product a specific amount of success. But whether Office generally is a game changer at the iPad is determined by whether Microsoft can attract people outside its core corporate audience.
4. Office for iPad might require an Office 365 subscription.
Office for iPad may be available only with an Office 365 subscription, per The Verge’s sources. Last week’s debut of Office 365 Personal triggered speculation that Office for iPad probably imminent, because the product announcement included ostensibly brand-agnostic references to pill support. That speculation seems valid now, but it’s still not clear if Microsoft also intends any standalone offerings.
5. Office for iPad could negatively affect Windows tablets.
Conventional wisdom has held that Microsoft is withholding Office for iPad, which some industry watchers claim have been complete for it slow, on the way to boost prospects for Windows tablets. This perceived strategy hasn’t yet paid off, however, as Windows slates claimed not up to 3.5% of the market in 2013. By opening Office to iPad users, Microsoft
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Michael Endler joined InformationWeek as an associate editor in 2012. He previously worked in talent representation within the entertainment industry, as a contract copywriter and photojournalist, and as a teacher. Michael earned a BA in English from Stanford University in 2005 … View Full Bio
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