“It appears Microsoft may finally unveil an iPad version of its bread and butter Office productivity suite,” Seth Weintraub reports for 9to5Mac. “More interestingly, the launch seems timed with a possible on stage presentation at the iPad 3 event in a few weeks.”
“Why would Apple, who has pushed the iWork apps for iPad since day one, want to give Microsoft a stage to showcase its competition? Moreover, why would Microsoft, who is readying its own Windows 8 tablets, want to empower Apple’s iPad with Office, thereby making its own Tablets less valuable when they hit the market …later?” Weintraub asks.
“Looking at Apple’s revenues and earnings, Apple makes what amounts to rounding errors on its software products when compared to hardware sales. With that said, Apple makes awesome software to sell its hardware. If Microsoft makes Office for iPad then it throws the doors wide open in Enterprise for iPad that saw a great deal more success than Macintosh ever did,” Weintraub reports. “For Microsoft, the motivation is getting its tablet software in front of as many eyes as it can before competitors get there first… In addition, I will bet Microsoft charges a significant amount more than $9.99 an app.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We’ve also heard rumblings that Microsoft will participate in Apple’s rumored March 7 unveiling of their next-gen iPad and that was a major reason for Microsoft’s recent non-denial denial of Office for iPad.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
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Microsoft: Office for iPad story based on inaccurate rumors and speculation – February 21, 2012
Microsoft Office for iPad coming soon; no Android version planned – February 21, 2012