By This little cat and mouse game between Android trying to catch itself a piece of Microsoft Office isn’t going too well. After missing a reported 2012 launch date for the office editing suite, the service was rumored to be on its way this year. 2013 isn’t quite over yet, but we might already be forced to throw in the towel this year.
ZDNet is reporting that Microsoft’s timeline for Office development has been reshuffled a bit, and Android got the worst of the result. According to an unknown, but “trusted” source, the first “Gemini” update this October will update core Office apps with Metro styling and touch controls for Windows 8 and RT. Following that, a release of Office for Mac and Windows Phone will land in April 2014. Finally, Microsoft will get around to Android and iOS in October 2014.
With more than a year to wait one might be a little tired of this never-ending fairytale by then. The fact that Google Drive and many other office replacement apps already exist doesn’t help Microsoft win over any of its customers in the mobile space. We can’t judge just how important an official Office suite will be until Microsoft actually releases one, but many folks have already embraced other tools and have been doing just fine without it. Are any of you counting on this app or have you already settled for a perfectly fine alternative until Microsoft gets its act together?
Shocking,,,didn’t see this coming mutha
I’ll be surprised if “Gemini” releases at all, to be perfectly honest. Smells too much like vaporware for comfort, despite this coming from a “trusted” source. What’s that source say is coming out after an Android version, MS Office for Linux?
Microsoft is only doing this to try and say they have something Android doesn’t, but with a plethora of Office replacing apps, only hardcore Office users need the official thing.
Wow, Microsoft really blows lately. The Surface tabs are underachieving because of the pricing. They are trying to slander Android for their Windows Mobile phones. Windows 8 is atrocious too. Don’t forget to add the always online Xbox they are making. I don’t need the real thing. I just use notability on my iPad and OfficePro on my S3.
You can’t have it both ways Microsoft. You are running to the EU commision complaining Google has an unfair advantage forcing OEMs to use Google services because of Android, but you keep delaying the release of your competing products on Android. Do you even remember how to be a real company anymore? This is like watching that old punch-drunk boxer getting hammered in the ring, not realizing that the world has already forgotten about him.
Just like how google tired to slam MS is EU “first” right….
Just lile how Google did the same thing early in the year? Riiiiight its not fair
Maybe Microsoft haven’t figured out how to write Java yet? Their J# failure seems to resonate this far…
It isn’t that hard, it is C like language and close to your C#!
What a surprise, MS levering a monopoly in one market against another.
This is exactly what MS has done for as long as they have been a big name. This is how they operate.
And you see no similarity with Google? Apple? IBM? Amazon? FaceBook? or any other company that gains control of a demographic. Right now, Google is the company most in danger of becoming “Skynet” AND the Eye of Mordor, ruling us all. But just like Wozniack/Jobs, Gates/Allen, Page/Brin, there are two geeks in a garage somewhere developing the product that will herald Google’s demise. And it’s quite possible those geeks are going to be in India, China or Brazil.
^^^^^^^ this is ^^^^^^
Seeing as how Google is not a convicted monopolist who now tries to use patents to prevent competition, no I don’t the similarity. All companies act in evil ways, but MS is in a league of their own.
It’s not a monopoly. You guys make it a monopoly ;-) . Install free Kingsoft office from Play store. It has more features then Mobile office for M$ Windows. And has the best M$ file formats compatibility out there.
Just installed…was using docs to go…i`ll gladly switch. MS who?
I’ve been using Kingsoft since switching to Android about a year ago. I agree, no complaints thus far.
There wouldn’t be many buyers for MS Office on Android phones because there a free apps out there that get the job done. On tablets however, it might be a good purchase but there isn’t much target audience. And by 2014, Google Drive’s office suite would have made substantial upgrades.
Giving out free Office to Surface buyers was a smart move, didn’t seem to have helped the sales much though.
I have an alternative to Office that I’m using now, and I have no desire to use the real deal, even once it does come out.
How does kingsoft compare to the free office suites on desktop aka Libreoffice, Openoffice and the like?
I use Kingsoft on my Win 7 desktop at home and it works fine…very similar feel to Word, but I mostly use Google Docs now.
Why is everyone getting so upset with Microsoft? I think everyone is overreacting.
They are going to be late for their own devices too. The Windows version won’t be released til the fourth quarter of this year. Windows Phone version launches 6 months later along with the Mac version according to this report. It just sounds more like Microsoft having difficulties either in development, with quality, or determining final requirements. It makes sense that Windows Phone would launch 6 months earlier than Android or iOS because I imagine much of the core code is identical to the Windows version. On the other hand, Android and iOS are a different code base. It only makes sense that Windows is their primary focus. Windows is the leading desktop environment and they make a ton of money on this environment.
There are Office compatible alternatives already available in Android. Will a Microsoft version make that much of a difference.
i have crashed so many office alternatives on my nexus 7. when i opened office made documents. They are usually very very large. if this can handle large amounts of data. It will be the best. but i dont know
Bad move for Microsoft I will have to keep using g drive, kingport, Polaris there lost.
Whoa! I almost cared.
I agree with you all. Office should be exclusive to us Windows Phone users since we want Windows and like Windows. I’m in agreement with you Android fanboys!!! Microsoft should not release to Android. Keep it for the fanboys like myself.
I understand why you feel the need to come here rather than posting in a Windows Phone forum that has no people other than yourself. Testing. 1. 2. 3. Is anyone else in here?
Android actually has enough users for there to be a meaningful discussion. No wonder Microsoft wants to port Office to a platform that has actual users. Not that many Android users want or need Office.
Thanks for your reply. Apparently Windows phone is a threat or you would not have replied to my post. Android is a crappy fragmented operating system that i dumped for a windows phone and could not be happier. Have you not been following the tech news that Android has leveled off and the trend is downward. Goggle sees what is happening and allowed facebook to put a live home screen onto their closed and static operating system. Why did Google allow this? Because Microsoft and its live Windows Phone is the trend and they want to get in now because Microsoft has the lead. The tides will turn and you’ll be the only one with an Android.
Given the actual numbers, I don’t consider Windows phone a threat at all.
I’m not even sure what you mean by ‘threat’.
If you like Windows phone, then I hope you are happy with it. Nobody is stopping you from getting one.
I would be happy to read if you could provide some links to support your assertion that Android is headed downward. I follow tech news closely and have not heard this.
Google allowed facebook because Android is open. It is Microsoft that is closed and static.
In one sentence you say Microsoft has the lead (yet numbers don’t support this) and in the very next sentence you say the tides will turn.
Graphs can be viewed under the Android Authority community under Android leveling off in the U.S. and a review of the graph and trend show a significant headwind. But i will say the article is only for the U.S. With that said Windows Phone may have a slower adoption in the U.S. but is growing globally and in some counties developed and undeveloped both market share is 10% and growing. Does Microsoft need the U.S. to grow Windows Phone? Not at all!! I belive the numbers you are emphasizing is US but global growth of Windows Phone is significantly improving.
Biggest f**king mistake by Microsoft under Ballmer.
Really? BIgger than this one?
http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/10/t-mobile-sidekick-disaster-microsofts-servers-crashed-and-they-dont-have-a-backup/
Or is it a bigger mistake than Windows 8?
Or is it a bigger mistake than creating market confusion between Windows 8 and Windows RT?
It seems like Ballmer has made bigger mistakes than delaying an Office on Android product that very few people will want.
I switched to Google Drive a year ago and haven’t looked back.
@Taylor: Every tech craze is going to level off once a market is flooded or filled out. Mobile is huge and has been for the past few years. Hence why Android has seen such an increase. Just because market demand is leveling off does not mean the desth to a particulat OS. Keep in mind that Win8 only has about 1% or so of the total market. How can you deduct that they are on the upswing? Android is still growing and still has a HUGE market share. Apple is changing to help gain back some market share. Once Win8 hits a 20% then and ONLY then will I consider them a player. As of right now they’re not even a blip on the screen. In addition, I’d like to add that I would like to see Win8 do well and I have been rooting for them. To be honest I am surprised they have not gained more market share. Competition is good.