Free Microsoft Office app for iPhone, iPad to be released in early 2013

A version of Microsoft Office designed for Apple's iPhone and iPad is now expected to arrive on the iOS App Store in early 2013, offering free document viewing, while a subscription will be needed for editing.

Details on the rumored software were revealed on Wednesday by The Verge, which also obtained screenshots of the software and other details from "several sources close to Microsoft's plans." The "Office Mobile" application will be a free option available on the iOS App Store that will require a Microsoft Office account.

Included in Office Mobile will be Word, PowerPoint and Excel support, while those with an Office 365 subscription will be able to edit documents. Office Mobile is also expected to come to Google's Android platform, though it will debut on Apple's iOS first.

An Office 365 subscription will reportedly be available for purchase through the application, meaning it will comply with Apple's in-app purchase rules for App Store content. Wednesday's report said the subscription will allow for "basic editing" in the application, though it "won't go very far in attempting to replace regular full use of a desktop Office application.

Those who do not purchase an Office 365 subscription will still be able to use the free Office Mobile application for iPhone and iPad for basic viewing of documents.

Last month, a Microsoft product manager in the Czech Republic indicated that the new version of Office for iOS could arrive as soon as March of 2013. A spokesperson for Microsoft declined to give a date, only saying that its Office suite would "work across Windows Phone, iOS and Android."

Rumors of a version of Microsoft Office for iPad have swirled for the past year, and a picture claiming to show a screenshot of the iPad application surfaced this February. One report from late May pegged a specific release date of Nov. 10 for Office for iPad, but recent reports suggest that date will not be met.

AppleInsider also learned earlier this year that Microsoft was working on a new native iOS application for Outlook Web App, called "OWA Mobile Client for iOS," that will offer compatibility with Exchange 2012 mailboxes. It, along with a new version of the Lync application for iOS, will reportedly feature Microsoft's Metro interface, just like Office for iPad is expected to do.

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72 Comments

gazoobee 3753 comments · 15 Years

About 12 years ago

Called it. No, "Office for ARM" just a connection to Office 360 on the web. Pages continues to have zero competition on iOS (which id kind of sad because they really need some competition to get their fingers out and put out a good product someday).

tallest skil 43086 comments · 14 Years

Originally Posted by Gazoobee
…they really need some competition to get their fingers out and put out a good product someday).

So what's bad about Pages?

zunx 619 comments · 20 Years

PowerPoint for iOS: the ultimate presentation tool.

johnnash 129 comments · 15 Years

BAH - I was really jazzed to hear we'd be getting office apps and was willing to pay for them. However subscription based services tend to be much more expensive in the long run than the app itself unless the recurring costs are below $1/Month/App. Right now the online pricing for Office 365 is $4/month. While $48/Year isn't a lot of money it's still a recurring cost and you don't 'own' the app, you're just renting. However access to Sharepoint online from the iPad would be pretty freaking cool from an enterprise standpoint if it'd support lists and libraries.