Microsoft Office for iPad available today

Microsoft has announced the availability of Microsoft Office for iPad today as part of new CEO Satya Nadella’s first major press event. Microsoft Office for iPad will feature Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and go live today in the App Store around 11 am PST. Office for iPad will operate under a freemium model, allowing all users to read and present Office content for free. Subscribers to Office 365 will receive all Office for iPad apps at no extra charge.

Significantly, each application in Office for iPad was uniquely built for the iPad, and are not ports of the Windows versions. All Office for iPad content is available via and can be saved to the cloud via OneDrive. Microsoft has promised complete file fidelity across Mac, PC, mobile, and web. Collaboration features will also work across devices, allowing users to see markups and edits from co-workers on their iPad.

Each individual Office app seems to contain a few unique features. For example, while in presentation mode in Powerpoint, a quick touch and hold on the iPad creates a virtual laser pointer to highlight information on the presentation slide. Excel contains a custom numeric keyboard to allow for easier input and computations while on the go, as well as chart recommendations with live previews.

As part of the presentation, Microsoft also demonstrated some of the new employee management capabilities built into Office 365, Azure, and Intune, which its packaging into what it calls the Enterprise Mobility Suite. For example, via Intune, employees can add or wipe any business information on their iPad without affecting personal data like pictures and contacts. Employees can also head to Intune and see a full list of curated apps from their IT admin which will can then be downloaded from the App Store.

Let us know if you will be downloading Office for iPad today!