It looks like the era of Office exclusivity on Windows Phone and Surface is over just as it started, as Microsoft Office has been revealed to be in development for Apple’s devices and Google Android.
One of the key selling points of Windows 8 and Windows RT’s mobile and tablet devices, including Microsoft’s own Surface tablet, has been its exclusive access to Microsoft Office – the industry standard in productivity software.
It appears this exclusivity is to be short lived.
The Verge has revealed that Microsoft will be releasing the product suite in early 2013 – although the details are vague, and not yet confirmed by the company.
It is expected to launch on both iOS and Android in the form of a document viewer first – supporting Microsoft Powerpoint, Word and Excel documents. Editing functionality will then be added with an Office 365 subscription – which will also be able to be activated in-app.
Much of the Verge’s information comes from a press release put out by Microsoft’s Czech division, which it has obtained. Microsoft has since disowned the press release, but maintains that, “Office will work across Windows Phone, iOS and Android.”
What Mobile will be there to review it when it launches.
@allanswann