Apple and Microsoft Introduce Office for the iPad
Finally, Microsoft Office is available for iPads. Microsoft has been working on finger-friendly, mobile ready formatting for Office programs. Users will be able to edit their work freely because text and images are easy to move, adjust and tweak on the iPad’s touch screen. Additionally, Microsoft Excel is able to recognize the type of data users have and can suggest formatting options of graphs to save time.
Reportedly, PowerPoint has been the most tablet-friendly. Users are able to create presentations with a few quick swipes. Also, the new integration of Microsoft OneDrive and Office ensures that all documents are backed up to Microsoft’s Cloud.
However, this introduction questions how influential Office will be on the iPad, when free applications like Google Drive and iWork suite have been available in the app store. Writer Pro and Grid (a spreadsheet app) were also available before the Office and Apple integration.
Although it is convenient, not everything can be achieved using the on-the-go Office programs. According to The Verge, it is impossible to add video to a PowerPoint presentation on an iPad. Users have also had issues getting used to the layout and different positions of tabs in Microsoft Word. That being said, there are unique features available for the iPad. One example is a virtual laser pointer that can be used during a PowerPoint presentation. There is a YouTube video that shows users what they can do with Microsoft Office programs.
Starting at $70, iPad users are now able to purchase an Office 365 subscription from the Apple app store.
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