Rumor: Office for Mac to get Retina redesign, feature parity with Windows in Q1 2015
Microsoft is set to release an all-new version of Office for Mac in the first quarter of 2015, documents revealed on Tuesday suggest, modernizing the Mac version of the popular software suite and bringing it to feature parity with its Windows counterpart.
The documents, supposedly leaked from an internal Microsoft presentation, suggest that the company is planning redesign Office for Mac's user experience to more closely mirror the look-and-feel of the Windows variant. It will also gain many of the features and capabilities of the Windows suite, including enhanced integration with Office 365, SkyDrive, and SharePoint.
Excel will finally support functions that have previously been Windows-only, allowing for easier sharing of files between platforms. Powerpoint will add a presenter view, while Word will add the ability to expand and collapse individual paragraphs alongside enhanced change tracking.
Office for Mac has not received a major update since 2010, a situation that has caused concern among business users in recent years. Apple has completely revamped its competing iWork suite in the interim in what some have pegged as an effort to reduce Office's role as a killer app for Macs in the workplace.
The company has made one major Apple-related move recently, releasing an iPad-optimized version of Office. Like the eventual desktop update, the tablet move was widely rumored for years before it eventually materialized.
The documents, supposedly leaked from an internal Microsoft presentation, suggest that the company is planning redesign Office for Mac's user experience to more closely mirror the look-and-feel of the Windows variant. It will also gain many of the features and capabilities of the Windows suite, including enhanced integration with Office 365, SkyDrive, and SharePoint.
Excel will finally support functions that have previously been Windows-only, allowing for easier sharing of files between platforms. Powerpoint will add a presenter view, while Word will add the ability to expand and collapse individual paragraphs alongside enhanced change tracking.
Office for Mac has not received a major update since 2010, a situation that has caused concern among business users in recent years. Apple has completely revamped its competing iWork suite in the interim in what some have pegged as an effort to reduce Office's role as a killer app for Macs in the workplace.
The company has made one major Apple-related move recently, releasing an iPad-optimized version of Office. Like the eventual desktop update, the tablet move was widely rumored for years before it eventually materialized.
Comments
[IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/51515/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
[IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/51516/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
[IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/51517/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
And many more over here:
http://www.cnbeta.com/articles/340427.htm
a) I’ll believe it when I see it.
b) It will probably be Office 365 subscription only.
c) But there’s always hope I guess.
d) Office for Mac is not nearly as important to Apple as it was even a few years ago.
e) Microsoft is not the enemy it once was, more like a frenemy these days.
Gee, just what every Mac user wants. Microsoft is delusional.
a) I’ll believe it when I see it.
b) It will probably be Office 365 subscription only.
c) But there’s always hope I guess.
d) Office for Mac is not nearly as important to Apple as it was even a few years ago.
e) Microsoft is not the enemy it once was, more like a frenemy these days.
To me, they just missed the boat again, because they could have made these updates 5 years ago and made some bucks ...
Just in time for me to stop using that crap. Apple's Pages/Numbers/Keynote are more than enough for me, they're cheap, look great, work on Mac and iOS, and they can open Office documents. And there's always LibreOffice and Open Office.
I've been hearing this promise for years. It's never happened. Has the time finally arrived? Microsoft has a long history of intentionally kneecapping its Mac software, so I remain skeptical.
No way this will be "all new" nor will it consist of well-written Mac apps, nor will be it have full feature parity. No way. It will be the same underlying code as Office 2011 (which itself is based on earlier code) with some new features and new skins.
All I care about is that Excel has feature parity and TRUE 100% compatibility between Macs and PCs. The other office apps can take a flying leap.
All I care about is that Excel isn't the slow, painful POS app that it is under OS X.. I have copies of Excel that run faster in VM's than the locally installed copy of office on my mac.
iWork. All I ever need.
"feature parity with Windows"
I've been hearing this promise for years. It's never happened. Has the time finally arrived? Microsoft has a long history of intentionally kneecapping its Mac software, so I remain skeptical.
No way this will be "all new" nor will it consist of well-written Mac apps, nor will be it have full feature parity. No way. It will be the same underlying code as Office 2011 (which itself is based on earlier code) with some new features and new skins.
I wish more Mac users would comment on issues like these. People who take potshots about stuff like pretty colors or icons don't truly understand the problems that Mac Office users are experiencing. Do we really think we are just going to ask Office for Windows users to please not use certain features because it doesn't work with my Mac? Especially some of those collaboration features in Outlook such as task assignments. More likely, they will try to use those features even more, just to screw with Mac users, then complain to the Windows-using boss that the Mac guy won't respond to the stuff that they send him.
What the hell is "Microsoft Office Personality"? Another paper clip toy?
I like how my daughter bought a new Mac and did Time Machine and did a move of her old machine to new. Office would not work. She contacted MS and they told her she'd have to buy Office again, as it wasn't transferable. I suggested she kick MS to the curb and use and open source office suite. Had this problem in grad school when upgrading to a new hard drive. Said needed new license.
Or use Office online for free. There are alternatives out there for the vast majority of people. People think they have to use Office.
Corporate job- just sayin.
And remember. Office for Mac saved Apple from oblivion.