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| Microsoft confirms Office for Android, iOS for March 2013 |
| By Thom Holwerda on 2012-10-10 16:26:39 |
| "Microsoft product manager Petr Bobek has confirmed that the software maker is planning to release native iOS and Android versions of Office 2013 next year. Speaking at a press event in the Czech Republic earlier today, Bobek told Czech site IHNED that native apps will be made available from March 2013." Smart move. There's money to be made here, but I am wondering what kind of functionality they're going to reserve for Windows users. |
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| Big news |
| By stestagg on 2012-10-10 16:32:48 |
|
This is big news, the Microsoft business practice has always been to feed the ecosystem. Office stood up on its own, but has always been a driver for Windows adoption. Targetting OS-level competitors highlights a shift in thinking high up within Microsoft, and seems like a really good sign for the future. |
 - Score: 3 |
| Subscription |
| By Stubbs on 2012-10-10 16:39:48 |
| Microsoft is trying to move office to a subscription model. I think they'll probably let users use any device they choose as long as they pay for the subscriptions. Sort of like the Spotify or Netflix of the office productivity world. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE: Subscription |
| By Bill Shooter of Bul on 2012-10-10 17:08:54 |
| That absolutely makes the most sence. But, and here is a big but, how will they distribute them? Apple requires 30% off the top of any purchase price plus a portion of subscription revenue and ad revenue. With Android, they could just host it on Microsoft.com, or even in the play store and do whatever they want with it. |
| - Score: 2 |
| RE[2]: Subscription |
| By Thom_Holwerda on 2012-10-10 17:20:45 |
|
Apple and Microsoft are very close partners. They will most likely strike a deal. Edited 2012-10-10 17:20 UTC |
| - Score: 1 |
| RE[2]: Subscription |
| By Yamin on 2012-10-10 17:45:46 |
|
Good businesses focus on making money. A friend of mine once told me, there's only 2 kinds of relationships in this world 1) win-win 2) lose-lose If you're going to have a relationship with someone, make sure it is win-win. Otherwise it will or eventually will be a lose lose. If Microsoft is going to engage in a relationship with Apple, and they want to make money, they will make sure it is Win-Win. Apple gets a nice cut. Microsoft gets a nice cut. You can only hope Balmer keeps his eye on the money. |
| - Score: 2 |
| Comment by NuxRo |
| By NuxRo on 2012-10-10 18:18:19 |
|
Yes, the situation with office editors is pretty pretty pretttty shitty on mobile platforms, however I doubt they'll have too many fans if they continue with the ridiculous (at least for me) pricing; either that or it will be heavily pirated, as it happens with PCs - although in recent years I notice more and more people install Libreoffice. Nice! Talking of which, myself I'm still waiting for Libreoffice, either as native app on Android or as a web service/frontend, the latter would be super-sweet! |
| - Score: 1 |
| RE[3]: Subscription |
| By Stephen! on 2012-10-10 18:25:31 |
|
> Apple and Microsoft are very close partners. They will most likely strike a deal. Although Apple's partnerships do seem to have a habit of turning sour, such as the ones with Samsung and Google. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE: Comment by NuxRo |
| By ssokolow on 2012-10-10 18:28:10 |
|
It's on their radar. http://arstechnica.com/business/... |
| - Score: 2 |
| Don´t be stupid, be a smarty. |
| By Gestahlt on 2012-10-10 19:45:18 |
|
Indeed a good move in many regards. I think we see in the future a growing OS fragmention. While the eyecandy and underlying OS becomes a matter of taste, will the "essential" apps for productivity a necessarity. This specifically in regard of devices like Surface AND their competition. There is already a MS Office suite for Mac OS for some time now, so why not Android and hopefully other platforms (I see Solaris there). |
| - Score: 0 |
| Site has been updated with this reply -- |
| By glarepate on 2012-10-10 23:03:00 |
|
Update: Microsoft has released the following statement on the matter: The information shared by our Czech subsidiary is not accurate. We do not have anything further to share at this time. |
| - Score: 4 |
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