
According to a new report from Reuters, Microsoft has a complete version of Office ready to be released for the iPhone and iPads. It is reported that as soon as CEO Satya Nadella picks a launch date, the software will be ready to go. As of right now, there is a lack of Office software on Apple devices and it seems like it is becoming a big issue for Microsoft.
Since Microsoft Office is not available for iOS platforms, many users are turning to other simpler apps instead. As a result, Microsoft is losing a whole generation of users since Apple's devices are becoming increasingly popular. The company is losing almost $2.5 billion a year avoiding Office for the iPad, according to an analyst estimate. Companies are switching from Office suite on computers to a software that is cheaper, easier to use, and touch friendly due to Microsoft not bringing its software to Apple devices.
Reported by Reuters, a New York based financial services startup, Artivest Holdings, is already one example of a company beginning to replace Microsoft. Instead, the company is using Quip, a free and easy to use word processor that lets users create documents and send messages on any platform including the desktop, iPhone, and iPad. "There are no more Microsoft Word documents being circulated. If someone emails me a Word document, I'll tell them to put it in Quip," claims Artivest Chief Investment Officer, David Levine.
However, because of the increased popularity of Apple devices and the slew of Office-style apps available for download in the app store, Microsoft has been motivated to increase its deployment efforts. They are hoping to regain and win back some of their old customers.
According to some people close to the Microsoft company,
The speed with which apps like Quip have been adopted is forcing Microsoft to intensify its efforts to bring the powerful but ageing Office software suite to tablets and smartphones.
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.
Source: Reuters
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