Free Microsoft Office app for iPhone, iPad to be released in early 2013
A version of Microsoft Office designed for Apple's iPhone and iPad is now expected to arrive on the iOS App Store in early 2013, offering free document viewing, while a subscription will be needed for editing.
Details on the rumored software were revealed on Wednesday by The Verge, which also obtained screenshots of the software and other details from "several sources close to Microsoft's plans." The "Office Mobile" application will be a free option available on the iOS App Store that will require a Microsoft Office account.
Included in Office Mobile will be Word, PowerPoint and Excel support, while those with an Office 365 subscription will be able to edit documents. Office Mobile is also expected to come to Google's Android platform, though it will debut on Apple's iOS first.
An Office 365 subscription will reportedly be available for purchase through the application, meaning it will comply with Apple's in-app purchase rules for App Store content. Wednesday's report said the subscription will allow for "basic editing" in the application, though it "won't go very far in attempting to replace regular full use of a desktop Office application.
Those who do not purchase an Office 365 subscription will still be able to use the free Office Mobile application for iPhone and iPad for basic viewing of documents.
Last month, a Microsoft product manager in the Czech Republic indicated that the new version of Office for iOS could arrive as soon as March of 2013. A spokesperson for Microsoft declined to give a date, only saying that its Office suite would "work across Windows Phone, iOS and Android."
Rumors of a version of Microsoft Office for iPad have swirled for the past year, and a picture claiming to show a screenshot of the iPad application surfaced this February. One report from late May pegged a specific release date of Nov. 10 for Office for iPad, but recent reports suggest that date will not be met.
AppleInsider also learned earlier this year that Microsoft was working on a new native iOS application for Outlook Web App, called "OWA Mobile Client for iOS," that will offer compatibility with Exchange 2012 mailboxes. It, along with a new version of the Lync application for iOS, will reportedly feature Microsoft's Metro interface, just like Office for iPad is expected to do.
Details on the rumored software were revealed on Wednesday by The Verge, which also obtained screenshots of the software and other details from "several sources close to Microsoft's plans." The "Office Mobile" application will be a free option available on the iOS App Store that will require a Microsoft Office account.
Included in Office Mobile will be Word, PowerPoint and Excel support, while those with an Office 365 subscription will be able to edit documents. Office Mobile is also expected to come to Google's Android platform, though it will debut on Apple's iOS first.
An Office 365 subscription will reportedly be available for purchase through the application, meaning it will comply with Apple's in-app purchase rules for App Store content. Wednesday's report said the subscription will allow for "basic editing" in the application, though it "won't go very far in attempting to replace regular full use of a desktop Office application.
Those who do not purchase an Office 365 subscription will still be able to use the free Office Mobile application for iPhone and iPad for basic viewing of documents.
Last month, a Microsoft product manager in the Czech Republic indicated that the new version of Office for iOS could arrive as soon as March of 2013. A spokesperson for Microsoft declined to give a date, only saying that its Office suite would "work across Windows Phone, iOS and Android."
Rumors of a version of Microsoft Office for iPad have swirled for the past year, and a picture claiming to show a screenshot of the iPad application surfaced this February. One report from late May pegged a specific release date of Nov. 10 for Office for iPad, but recent reports suggest that date will not be met.
AppleInsider also learned earlier this year that Microsoft was working on a new native iOS application for Outlook Web App, called "OWA Mobile Client for iOS," that will offer compatibility with Exchange 2012 mailboxes. It, along with a new version of the Lync application for iOS, will reportedly feature Microsoft's Metro interface, just like Office for iPad is expected to do.
Comments
No, "Office for ARM" just a connection to Office 360 on the web.
Pages continues to have zero competition on iOS (which id kind of sad because they really need some competition to get their fingers out and put out a good product someday).
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
…they really need some competition to get their fingers out and put out a good product someday).
So what's bad about Pages?
PowerPoint for iOS: the ultimate presentation tool.
However access to Sharepoint online from the iPad would be pretty freaking cool from an enterprise standpoint if it'd support lists and libraries.
Originally Posted by zunx
PowerPoint for iOS: the ultimate presentation tool.
PowerPoint is absolute trash compared to Keynote. Has been for YEARS. Or maybe the definition of 'ultimate' has changed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zunx
PowerPoint for iOS: the ultimate presentation tool.
Keynote is pretty much as good. Some would consider it better. It's the one app in iWorks that is good enough for "enterprise".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
So what's bad about Pages?
I probably over-stated that due to my daily frustrations with Pages. My stock answer lately is that Pages is a template based program that gives you absolutely no control over the templates.
There are many aspects of Pages that need work IMO however and a lot of it seems like it's about 80% finished. Generally speaking, aside from the template issue, the fact that the iOS version still lacks many of the features of the OS-X version is a big problem, and the fact that the user doesn't really have much control over document styles is another. The most frustration however, is generated by the fact that (judging by the almost complete lack of upgrades), the people designing the program apparently think that they are "done."
Development on Pages reminds me of the original iChat. One person designed the whole thing and was then moved on to other projects. Minimal "fixes" were then applied by others over a long, long, period wherein no actual development was underway. Pages kind of feels like that to me. It arrived in an almost identical state to what it's in now, but full of bugs. They fix the bugs (slowly), and they added like two slight variations/features over it's entire life and that's it. It's an almost identical product to it's initial release, both on iOS and OS-X.
The people behind it's development, whoever they are, just don't seem serious to me. Pages often comes across as a sort of "place holder" app to me, or a tick box item to sell iPads whereas with very little work it could blow Word out of the water. I guess I just wish the developers would step up and do something with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Called it.
No, "Office for ARM" just a connection to Office 360 on the web.
Pages continues to have zero competition on iOS (which id kind of sad because they really need some competition to get their fingers out and put out a good product someday).
Have you not seen DocsToGo? Or any of the other office suites out there???
The M$ model of "get as much money now as you can because the ship is sinking" ... got to love it. They need their own Aflac duck, but then again they prob due just with as many times as they keep shooting their foot, the duck can't keep up with all the holes...
It isn't Office so it sucks. Some people just have to bitch about something to feel good about themselves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
I probably over-stated that due to my daily frustrations with Pages. My stock answer lately is that Pages is a template based program that gives you absolutely no control over the templates.
There are many aspects of Pages that need work IMO however and a lot of it seems like it's about 80% finished. Generally speaking, aside from the template issue, the fact that the iOS version still lacks many of the features of the OS-X version is a big problem, and the fact that the user doesn't really have much control over document styles is another. The most frustration however, is generated by the fact that (judging by the almost complete lack of upgrades), the people designing the program apparently think that they are "done."
Development on Pages reminds me of the original iChat. One person designed the whole thing and was then moved on to other projects. Minimal "fixes" were then applied by others over a long, long, period wherein no actual development was underway. Pages kind of feels like that to me. It arrived in an almost identical state to what it's in now, but full of bugs. They fix the bugs (slowly), and they added like two slight variations/features over it's entire life and that's it. It's an almost identical product to it's initial release, both on iOS and OS-X.
The people behind it's development, whoever they are, just don't seem serious to me. Pages often comes across as a sort of "place holder" app to me, or a tick box item to sell iPads whereas with very little work it could blow Word out of the water. I guess I just wish the developers would step up and do something with it.
Agreed.
Apple's iWork team seems to have fallen asleep at the switch.
Btw, what's with basic fonts from Word that never seem to work in Pages!?
No way I am going to 'rent' something from these bozos.
(Edit: Took out the unfair slam about them not having provided a software update for the rMBP pixelation problem. As pointed out by a couple of folks below, they have, and MS Office now looks great).
Google Apps does give you free 10 user subscription if you know how to get it.
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
My stock answer lately is that Pages is a template based program that gives you absolutely no control over the templates.
Eh?
Make whatever changes to the file that you want, and then do this. Boom.
I bet MS tablets will have the full version.
Not so sure about that, they're bringing subscription to the desktop as well. They know office is the only thing keeping some people on Windows eg: business related ect and they are gasping for air.Not sure about pages I never use it or word but excel is light years ahead of numbers. Numbers is a joke
Must get an Office 365 subscription? Screw that. Just charge a few bucks for each program or 20 bucks for the whole suite.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Eh?
.....
Make whatever changes to the file that you want, and then do this. Boom.
That's the OSX version not the iOS one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Called it.
No, "Office for ARM" just a connection to Office 360 on the web.
Pages continues to have zero competition on iOS (which id kind of sad because they really need some competition to get their fingers out and put out a good product someday).
I'd say Quickoffice is excellent competition. In fact because Pages can't access Dropbox (I haven't heard if this has been fixed) I would say that Pages is no competition at all for the vast majority of the world who uses Windows with their iPad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
I probably over-stated that due to my daily frustrations with Pages. My stock answer lately is that Pages is a template based program that gives you absolutely no control over the templates.
There are many aspects of Pages that need work IMO however and a lot of it seems like it's about 80% finished. Generally speaking, aside from the template issue, the fact that the iOS version still lacks many of the features of the OS-X version is a big problem, and the fact that the user doesn't really have much control over document styles is another. The most frustration however, is generated by the fact that (judging by the almost complete lack of upgrades), the people designing the program apparently think that they are "done."
Development on Pages reminds me of the original iChat. One person designed the whole thing and was then moved on to other projects. Minimal "fixes" were then applied by others over a long, long, period wherein no actual development was underway. Pages kind of feels like that to me. It arrived in an almost identical state to what it's in now, but full of bugs. They fix the bugs (slowly), and they added like two slight variations/features over it's entire life and that's it. It's an almost identical product to it's initial release, both on iOS and OS-X.
The people behind it's development, whoever they are, just don't seem serious to me. Pages often comes across as a sort of "place holder" app to me, or a tick box item to sell iPads whereas with very little work it could blow Word out of the water. I guess I just wish the developers would step up and do something with it.
The management structure may have something to do with this. Before, Federighi and Forstall controlled MacOS and iOS separately. So who took ownership of apps, particularly those on both platforms. We now have Federighi in charge of iOS and MacOS. Perhaps he will take total ownership but will he have time?