The Daily is reporting that Microsoft is gearing up to release a version of its productivity software suite, Microsoft Office, for the iPad and Android tablets on November 10, 2012.
The news supports rumors from BGR last week that Microsoft would release the Office tablet app at some point in November and obviously debunks early reports in February that the Office app would hit the App Store “in a few weeks.”
Microsoft allegedly wrapped up development of Microsoft Office Mobile last month shortly followed by the design team’s finishing touches. It’s said to use Microsoft’s signature new Metro UI, which originated in Windows Phone 7 and eventually expanded to Xbox Live and soon Windows 8. The app is currently undergoing tests by a usability team for quality to make any necessary last-minute fixes.
It’s unclear whether Microsoft will bundle all the programs — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. — into a single Office app or sell them separately as individual apps. The Daily’s use of “app” in the singular form when describing Office Mobile seems to suggest the former. It’s also somewhat relevant to mention that Microsoft OneNote already exists as a standalone iPhone app.
Microsoft’s biggest competitor on iOS is Apple, which currently sells Pages, Keynote and Numbers for $9.99 each in the App Store as opposed to just one iWork app. I’d say that Microsoft should match this pricing, but the Redmond-based software giant already holds the reputation for having the best productivity software, so it just might be able to price Office Mobile higher than iWork for iOS and get away with it.