Microsoft Office For iOS Purportedly Delayed Until Fall Of 2014
by Lory Gil
April 10, 2013
ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley has an inside source who seems to know a lot about what Microsoft is up to with regards to its productivity suite, Office. She recently let it slip that the software giant was planning on launching the “Gemini” waves of updates to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote throughout 2013. Today, the insider is reporting that Microsoft’s plans for launching mobile versions of its productivity apps won’t begin until late 2013, with iOS and Android to be the last in line.
According to ZDNet, the upcoming launch of new products from Microsoft begins with “Gemini wave 1.0,” which will be a launch of touch screen companion apps for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for Windows 8 and Windows RT. This first wave will be ready by October of 2013.
Wave 1.5 will launch in April of 2014 and will include new versions of the Office productivity suite for Mac and Windows phone.
Next on the list comes in fall of 2014. According to ZDNet:
Also on the roadmap for fall 2014 is what's listed as iOS/Android support for Office. One would assume this is the expected and widely rumored Office for iPad release. It could, however, be Office for iPhone and Android phone, given that it's not listed on the roadmap as being tablet-specific.Foley notes that rumors of Office for iOS and Android have been in the mix for more than a year. She points out that Microsoft has never denied these rumors and some have speculated that the company was on track to launch by mid-2013. We still have yet to hear official news from Microsoft that the company is actually making an iOS app. Last May, we were told by BGR to expect the apps to launch in November of 2012. This past February, the company’s Office department head told Reuters that Microsoft had been working hard on iOS-related revisions. However, it turned out that he was merely talking about enhancements to the Web applications. Waiting for Microsoft Office on iOS is like waiting for a new Star Wars movie to come out. The anticipation builds up so much that disappointment is practically a sure thing.