JAMES KENDRICK, ZD Net
(ZD Net)—ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley reported that Microsoft will bring an Android version of Office to market before one for Windows. She identifies the likely reasoning behind the move as one of market share. Microsoft wants Office to run everywhere, and the iPad and Android are the mobile elephants in the room. This may come back to bite Microsoft on the backside.
Microsoft has radically changed its business model with a focus on getting its products on all platforms. It’s done this quickly for such a large company, and that’s impressive. Getting its services and software everywhere is a lofty goal, and releasing Office for iPad and a version for Android makes sense given the changing climate in Redmond.
Even so, Windows tablet owners can’t be happy that a touch version of Office is now delayed until some time next year according to Foley. Office can be used now on the iPad, and soon it seems it will be available for Android tablets.