As strange as it may seem, Microsoft might be bringing MS Office to the iPad. Rumors of an iPad version of the well-known productivity software have been floating around for a few months, but recent leaks suggest we might see the app in a few weeks.
The latest indications come from an image showing an Office splash screen on an iPad. Microsoft has declared that the screenshot is not of a real software product, but conspicuously declined to comment on whether or not an iPad version of Office exists or when such a product might become available. Editors of The Daily, the news publication who claims to have seen the application in person, denies the image was faked.
Office on the iPad isn’t a completely outlandish idea. Microsoft’s OneNote application currently exists on the tablet, and Office certainly has a large enough user base to guarantee sales of the product. Additionally, we know for a fact that Microsoft is diving into the ARM-based tablet market with Windows 8, making it a sure bet that Office will arrive on that platform at release or soon after. Launching Office on the iPad might give the software’s development team a chance to iron out any bugs inherent in porting a large application to a new CPU.
Some suggest that Office for iPad isn’t in the cards, due to concerns that the software suite is one of the major competitive advantages Microsoft has in the tablet market. If we do see an Office app, it might be a stripped-down version with limited functionality compared to its native Windows counterparts.
Rumors suggest Office on the iPad may be coming sooner rather than later. We’ll keep you posted on any developments.
