Microsoft to Launch Office Suite App for Android and iOS Devices
Microsoft is planning to launch its Office Suite application for iOS and Android devices later on this year, according to reports.
A site, BGR, received this information from what it calls a "reliable source," who also revealed that the company is aiming towards a November release for the app.
The source also claims it has already seen Microsoft Office running on an iPad firsthand and says that it looks identical to a previous leak of the software from The Daily that surfaced a few months ago.
The Daily's description of the app seemed to match up well with BGR's sources claim.
It said that the app's user interface is similar to the current OneNote app, but that it has hints of Metro, the new design language that can also be found in Windows Phone and will appear in Windows 8. In the app, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files can be created and edited locally and online.
BGR's report states that the new app will be available for the iPhone and iPad. This contradicts a previous rumor that said that Microsoft Office would only make its way to Apple's tablet.
Some feel that this would be a bad move for Microsoft, who wants to become a serious competitor in the tablet market when it launches its Windows 8 platform.
Keeping it as an exclusive to Windows tablets would help the company to compete with Apple and Android devices.
Microsoft could also create an inferior version for its competitors and make customers have to purchase one of their products in order to take full advantage of the Office application.
Windows 8 is expected to launch at the end of this year. The app should be released around that same time.