Microsoft Office for iPad Coming March 27th (Report)

Between iWork, Quickoffice and numerous other options, there's no shortage of productivity apps for the iPad, but for many there's no substitute for the real Office. And it looks like Microsoft fans will get their wish come March 27, when the company's new CEO is expected to speak at a press conference.

Microsoft has invited members of the press to a San Francisco event to discuss the company's "mobile first, cloud first" strategy, according to a report from The Verge. At this gathering CEO Satya Nadella is expected to show off Office for the iPad, which will allow owners of Apple's tablet to view and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the go.

MORE: Face-Off: Apple iPad Air vs. Microsoft Surface 2

However, there's a catch with this software. As with Office for iPhone, Microsoft will likely charge users a subscription fee to access all of the app's features. If your company already pays for your Office 365 subscription, you're golden, but if not you're going to need to pay your own way. 

The good news is that Microsoft just recently unveiled a new Office 365 personal plan, so individuals can get in on the action. The new plan costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year.

With Microsoft's Build conference just days away from this March 27th event (April 2nd), why not wait to announce the new version of Office for the iPad? The Verge says that Nadella is setting the stage for the bigger show, where the company is expected to launch Windows Phone 8.1 and a major update to Windows 8.1.

Bottom line: Microsoft doesn't want an iOS product stealing Windows' thunder.

via The Verge

Mark Spoonauer
Editor-in-Chief
Responsible for the editorial vision for Laptopmag.com, Mark Spoonauer has been Editor in Chief of LAPTOP since 2003 and has covered technology for nearly 15 years. Mark speaks at key tech industry events and makes regular media appearances on CNBC, Fox and CNN. Mark was previously reviews editor at Mobile Computing, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc.