Office

In the early days of the iPhone and later the iPad, pundits and consumers alike questioned how useful the devices could be without Microsoft's Office productivity suite. For many, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook are synonymous with business and getting things done. The iPhone launched over five years ago, and the iPad is coming up on three years, but in all that time they've yet to have an official Microsoft Office app suite, and with more than 100 million units sold each, sales have clearly suffered tremendously. Microsoft now wants to put Office on iPhones and iPads, but Apple's not in any mood to negotiate.

Microsoft Office may finally be making its way to iOS. Yes. Again. This time the rumors come courtesy of a press release from Microsoft’s Czech Republic team, as well as Microsoft product manager Petr Bobek.

Why would Microsoft make Office for iPad, and why would Apple want it?

There's been a bit of a brouhaha this week over the possibility of Microsoft Office coming to the iPad. It's been teased, denied, rumored for a keynote spot at the anticipated iPad 3 event, summarily dismissed and otherwise masterfully debated everywhere from blogs to social streams and back.

But does it even matter? Is it merely the significance and symbolism of the idea itself -- having Office on iPad -- that's important, or is anyone actually expecting killer software when years of Office on Mac still haven't provided a truly excellent, fully compatible experience?

Back in November, The Daily claimed that Microsoft was working on a version of its hugely popular “Office” application for the iPad. It has now followed up its original story with a picture of Office running on the iPad and the notion that it is now complete and very close to being submitted to Apple for approval.