"Steve Ballmer Hints at iOS and Android Ports of Office"

[TopWargamer]

http://www.maximumpc.com/steve_ballmer_hints_ios_and_android_ports_office154

 

As we reported earlier today, outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Thursday accused Google of being a monopoly and even admitted to having “discussed” the matter with competition authorities. But that wasn’t the only newsworthy bit to come out of Thursday’s event — Microsoft’s annual meeting with the financial community.

 

Ballmer is said to have strongly hinted at the possibility of Office getting ported over to iOS and Android at some point in the future. “We are working away on all the things you think we should be working away on," he told those in attendance, insisting: "We don't have our heads in the sand."

 

“Devices come with services, services have to find their way onto non-Microsoft devices and we certainly have to support that without religious bias, if you will,” he added.

 

While responding to a question on the subject, Qi Lu, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Applications and Services Group, also did not rule out an Office port for non-Windows platforms, but said there should be genuine customer interest and it should make perfect financial sense.

 

"We are working on touch-first versions for our core apps in the Office suite, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and we will bring these apps to Windows devices, and also to other devices in ways that meets our customers' needs, and the customer value of those experiences, and in ways that economically make sense for Microsoft, and at a proper timetable. That's how we think about making these decisions as the question is being posed,” Lu said.

 

Make of that what you will, but veteran Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott is convinced that “it’s happening”; that Microsoft is not only working on an iOS version of Office, which he has “heard a ton about”, but also on a version compatible with Android.

 

Coolio, but the will Microsoft even gain anything from porting MS Office ti iOS and Android? Because I mean, we (Android, at least) have quite a few office programs already (a lot of good ones I might add), and Google just announced that QuickOffice was free, AND there's also Google Docs. And Google Docs is also on iOS (correct me if I'm wrong). So I mean, I just don't get why Microsoft would be porting over Office, when it's pretty clear that they won't gain anything from doing so. 

 

Steve Ballmer really does need to just retire already.

 

What are your thoughts on this?

[megadarkwood]

Omg that gif is amazing

[Bluejay0]

I guess it would be nice to do my debate and business reports in the go! But hasen't this been rumored for a while?

[TopWargamer]

Omg that gif is amazing

Mhm

 

It was from an episode of 90 Seconds on The Verge. I thought it was too funny, so I had to gif it. 

[TopWargamer]

I guess it would be nice to do my debate and business reports in the go! But hasen't this been rumored for a while?

Honestly, this is the first time I've heard about Office possibly coming to iOS and Android. 

[Bluejay0]

Honestly, this is the first time I've heard about Office possibly coming to iOS and Android. 

 

I've heard if it coming to the mobile platforms for a while but only recently did I hear of the rumor again. It was inevitable but it would be amazing to see this happen. 

[Lyons]

Heh, yeah, no thanks M$... I'll stick to Quickoffice...

 

 

CCCOOOMMMEEEE OOOONNNNNN!!!!!1!!!11!11!!!1!!9001!!!1!1!11!!!

[beebskadoo]

They just need to come up with new ideas. I mean they either copy what everyone else is doing or they rely on old 'tricks'. The mobile phone space is different than the PC space, they need to adapt or die. Their are a lot of free office programs out there and they all work pretty well. C'mon Microsoft, quit sucking!

[defunkt]

Why is he so damn sweaty? 

[DyGr00339]

Yay, now i can feel god about getting a nexus 7 for school 

[Mauri]

Why is he so damn sweaty? 

Because he's fat