Redmond, Washington — According to fresh report which indicates that software behemoth Microsoft eventually plans to release its popular Office suite for Android tablets and iPads as well as an Outlook Web apps for iOS later this year, which may also coincide with the release of Windows 8 tablets.
Although the Redmond Vole officially did not confirmed the news, but reports have surfaced that the full suite of Office apps will have a November release.
According to Boy Genius Report (BGR) that first unmasked the news reported that it has a “reliable source” who said Microsoft is prepping to launch Office apps for iOS and Android tablets later this year. Apart from that, the iOS version may not be iPad only. The source said that the app’s startup screen reads “Office for iOS,” rather than “Office for iPad.” That indicates that an iPhone/iPod Touch version could be coming as well.
Anyways, it seems that Microsoft already has a working versions of the apps and the new information endorses a report from The Daily earlier this year that Office is headed to the iPad.
In fact, an iPad version of Microsoft Office is one of those rumors that has been around for ages and never actually come to pass. People have been impatiently expecting Microsoft to unwrap their ridiculously ubiquitous productivity suite to the iPad for almost as long as there has been an iPad. Every once in a while, a fresh rumor pops up, keeping hope alive.
Amazingly, The Daily has flashed this story twice in recent memory that Office would be coming soon to the iPad – once in November, and again in February. The report in February included claims that The Daily’s source had actually gotten some hands-on experience with the app, though Microsoft denied everything.
Besides, the app’s interface was said to be pretty identical to that of OneNote, Microsoft’s note-taking app, which garnered iPad support in December. The Daily said it also has allusions to Metro, the design standard that appears in Windows Phone and the forthcoming Windows 8 operating system. According to the report, the Office app lets you edit and create Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files locally and online.
“Our source has witnessed Microsoft Office running on an iPad first-hand and has said that it looks almost identical to the previous leak from The Daily a few months back, despite the fact that Microsoft flatly denied that the app was authentic,” BRG reported.
Once again, a Microsoft spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from PCMag on Thursday. Also, the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant informed the New York Times back in February that The Daily story was “based on inaccurate rumors and speculation.”
Moving forward, Microsoft plans to release the next version of its operating system, Windows 8, later this year, but has not yet finalized a launch date. Additionally, Outlook apps are expected for Windows Phone and Android devices about the same time.