Microsoft is in the planning stages to release a new version of Office for the Mac, a system the company has largely ignored after releasing its subscription service, Office 365. So far, the latest version of Office for Mac is a version from 2011, proving Microsoft's hard stance against third party platforms, so far as Office is concerned.
Thorsten Hübschen, Microsoft Office boss in Germany, told Computerwoche that the company is working on multiple Office versions for the Mac in development, according to a report from MacWorld.
"The team is hard at work on the next version of Office for Mac," a representative for Microsoft said in an email. "While I don't have details to share on timing, when it's available, Office 365 subscribers will automatically get the next Office for Mac at no additional cost."
Originally, Microsoft plan was to release Office for Mac in Spring of 2014, but we've understand that the date has being pushed back. Hübschen assured Mac users that they will hear more about Office for Mac in the second quarter of 2014.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced a new Office 365 subscription, known as Office 365 Personal. This new plan indicates strongly that Office for Mac, iPhone, and iPad are on the way.
The new plan will cost consumers $6.99 per month, and little under $70 per year. Unlike Office 365 Home Premium, which will be renamed to Office Home, the personal plan allows users to use Office on one computer and on one tablet. Strangely enough, Microsoft did not say whether it is Windows-powered tablets.
While Office 365 Personal doesn't offer the option to use the service on more than one home computers, it still retains the 20GB OneDrive storage, and 90 minutes worth of Skype credit per month.
Office for iPhone and iPad
It has been long rumored that Microsoft would release a version of its Office Suite for the Apple iPhone and the iPad. However, the company had shown no indication it wants to bring Office to third party platforms, but change might be on the horizon, and it is up to one man to see it through the gates.
Due to Microsoft's decision to withhold Office from other platforms, other platforms such as Google Docs and other services have managed to gain a foothold in the mobile market as users grew tired of waiting for Microsoft to deliver a competent enough word processing program for their devices of choice.
However, a new Reuters report has claimed that Office for iPhone and iPad are ready and good to go, but before that can happen, newly appointed CEO, Satya Nadela, must first give it the green light.
By keeping Office from the iPhone and iPad, the software giant is losing out on up to $2.5 billion per year, according to an analyst who spoke with Reuters. Not only that, but this move by Microsoft also paves the way for Apple to make popular its iWork suite, which it has made available for users on it platform.
The main reason for iOS users missing out on a version of Microsoft Office may have a lot to do with the politics inside the company. However, now that Microsoft has pulled itself together to work as one cohesive unit, the unthinkable might very well happen.
