Slashdot Mirror


Why Microsoft Office For iOS Will Likely Never See the Light of Day

MojoKid writes "It has been over six years since Apple introduced the iPhone. Millions of apps have been written for the platform in that time, with collective downloads into the billions. Apple's App Store is a thriving marketplace with a huge amount of software available, except Microsoft Office. There's a version of Office for iOS supposedly in the works, but Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer threw cold water on the idea when asked about upcoming events for the Office suite after launching the new Office 2013 / Office 365 products earlier this week. Revenue sharing is reportedly a major sticking point. Microsoft is trying to push people towards yearly subscriptions with Office 2013 and Office 365, but Apple requires a 30 percent profit share on sales of any app in their store. Microsoft reportedly isn't thrilled at the idea of sharing that much revenue. It's ironic — when Bill Gates agreed to port Office to the Mac nearly 20 years ago, it was seen as a lifeline for the beleaguered manufacturer. Now, Microsoft is knocking on the door of Apple's business and Cupertino seems disinclined to answer."

1 of 270 comments (clear)

  1. Re:wtf by macs4all · · Score: -1, Troll

    Office has been available for mac since 1989, before it was even available for Windows. Office on mac wasn't something that happened in reaction to antitrust investigations.

    Nice try; but you are missing the point.

    Although most of the MS Office suite WAS available on Macs long before they were on Windows, MS was threatening to STOP producing Office for Mac before that fateful (and widely booed) "promise" by Gates to "continue to develop Office for the Mac for the next 5 years".