Microsoft Office for iPad and iPhone is apparently ready for release, reports Reuter. In a story ran under the heading “Microsoft poised to fight back as iPad generation shuns Office”, Reuter reports that Microsoft has fully functional versions of Office for iPad and iPhone waiting for the company’s CEO Microsoft has full versions of Office for iPad and iPhone and the release decision solely lies with the company’s new CEO – Satya Nadella.
Microsoft already has a full iPhone and iPad version of Office ready for release, the sources said. The only question is when Chief Executive Satya Nadella, who took over in February, will pull the trigger.
Although, the Microsoft under the leadership of Satya Nadella, who took over as Microsoft’s CEO in February, seemingly strengthening its commitment to the Apple platform and wants to widen office’s customer base, some of the Office features could be removed from the iOS variant just to balance the app with its Windows version.
“We have some pretty exciting plans. Certainly, interest in Office on the iPad is extreme. When they (customers) want to do real work, they are going to want to use Office”, said John Case, the top Office marketing executive, about the future of Office.
Apparently the app generation, having grown tired of waiting for an Office for iPad/iPhone, is increasingly turning to the alternatives such as Google-owned QuickOffice. According to one analyst, Microsoft is losing about $2.5 billion per year in revenue for not releasing the iPad version, reports Reuter.
The reason for the delay?
The powerful Windows group and the younger but more profitable Office group have a patchy history of collaboration.
But divisions remain. Some in the Windows camp want to make sure Office remains primarily a Windows experience, which should help sales of the Surface. Others in the Office camp, however, want to reach customers on as many platforms as possible.
Some say that it’s already too late for Microsoft to release Office for iOS and android. What do you think? Are you still waiting for MS Office for iPad or happy with a alternative?
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