Office for iPad

[Ruffles]

I didn't see this discussed yet so forgive me if it's already mentioned somewhere else. Today, MS release Office for iPads. This concerns me as they just removed one of the key advantages of their own devices. As much as I love my Surface RT and Pro 2, it looks to me that MS is not putting up a fight to stay relevant.

 

[oion]

This topic is in the forum announcements section (site news or something) but the thread title is pretty generic and useless. Isn't it Office 365 that still requires an ongoing subscription fee? I'm assuming a sub is required to use the app, but if it's free, I really have to wonder what MS is smoking (because that would be the biggest failed opportunity ever--if anything, MS should be charging non-Win platforms more to use their software). MS is aiming Office 365 at Linux too this year. Regardless, I don't care for SAS rental models and want my software to be "mine." Who knows what their long-term strategy is...

 

[kristalsoldier]

Office for iPad requires a O365 subscription without which a user can only view documents etc.

 

[Jeffrey]

Moved to Apps Forum.

 

[Rallicat]

Actually this is a very logical decision for Microsoft to take.

Consider that Microsoft's Office business is actually a bigger business than Windows. Now keep in mind that Windows is slowly moving from holding a position of total dominance of all personal computing, toward being just one of several aspects of personal computing that now also encompasses smartphones and tablets.

Given that the vast majority of those smartphone's and tablets are running iOS or Android, not you start to see how many of Microsoft's customers -especially business customers- are going to be clambering for a cross-platform office suite.

Holding onto the hope that Windows will prevail could instead have resulted in Office being dragged down too. Microsoft are NOT going to let that happen, hence we see Office for iPad today, and we'll likely see Office for Android tablets coming soon too

Of course we'll also see Office 'touch' versions popping up in the Windows 8 store too at some point. Microsoft now need to work hard to highlight the other advantages that their platform does still have over the competition. Native multi-user support, native side-by-side multitasking, better file and network browsing, as well as host of business features including Active Directory integration (at least for Windows 8 Pro devices).

The fight goes on, but Microsoft are protecting their other business units with this move.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Of course, it all comes down to money. And what's making Microsoft more money... Surface or Office subscriptions? I should think it's the latter seeing as though it's been round a lot longer. It's a shame our Surface just lost a key advantage though.

Not that I've personally used Office for the last 10 years or so anyway

 

[lparsons21]

I downloaded Office365 for iPad and it is very nice. But yes it does take a subscription to make it useful, unless your definition of useful is showing things or reading things. No editing or anything else to do with content creation/editing. With the exception of OneNote and Powerpoint. No sub needed for those other than OneDrive, even the freebie version.

My concern is that this version is very touch optimized and is really nice, but where's the touch optimized version for Windows 8/8.1?

 

[kc912]

Microsoft stop pissing us off! I've always sworn by Microsoft and I love Windows 8 & my Surface but why in the world wouldn't they release a metro office first!?! Or infact, the moment they release Windows 8? I feel like people who bought Surface RT's have been conned a bit. I bet some bought them in the knowledge that a full metro office suite would reach them before the iPad...see...Office for iPad is coming, Ballmer says... after 'Metro' Office apps for Windows | PCWorld

 

[jnjroach]

Microsoft stop pissing us off! I've always sworn by Microsoft and I love Windows 8 & my Surface but why in the world wouldn't they release a metro office first!?! Or infact, the moment they release Windows 8? I feel like people who bought Surface RT's have been conned a bit. I bet some bought them in the knowledge that a full metro office suite would reach them before the iPad...see...Office for iPad is coming, Ballmer says... after 'Metro' Office apps for Windows | PCWorld

If you look at the iPad Office UI it looks much like Office 2013 with Touch turned on....it doesn't look like a Modern UI App....

 

[WillysJeepMan]

If you look at the iPad Office UI it looks much like Office 2013 with Touch turned on....it doesn't look like a Modern UI App....

Exactly. Which does not bode well for a Modern UI version. It will be quite a challenge to make a modern UI version of Office that is as clean and well laid out as Office for iPad.

I've said it before, the Modern UI is too spread out with too much whitespace. It was not designed with complex applications in mind. I just hope that they keep the desktop version available for Windows RT.

 

[kc912]

I think that people get that the metro ui isn't for complex apps. Take the OneNote & mail apps for example, I think Microsoft hit the nail on the head. If I need to use the more complex features I switch to desktop versions but for the situations when a tablet level app is all I need they're perfect. Microsoft should release word and excel etc with the complex function striped and a simple "switch to desktop mode for advanced functions button" their web office apps do this sort of thing, its a bit like Google Drive apps.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

I think that people get that the metro ui isn't for complex apps. Take the OneNote & mail apps for example, I think Microsoft hit the nail on the head. If I need to use the more complex features I switch to desktop versions but for the situations when a tablet level app is all I need they're perfect. Microsoft should release word and excel etc with the complex function striped and a simple "switch to desktop mode for advanced functions button" their web office apps do this sort of thing, its a bit like Google Drive apps.

Microsoft has made unofficial comments since the introduction of the Surface to the effect that the desktop is eventually going away on the Surface. Yes, it is unofficial and plans change, but that is the direction that they're headed it.

Yeah, it comes down to personal preference. You find the Modern UI perfect for touch use. I find it inefficient.