2/01/2012 08:08:00 PM
dannzfay
Yesterday, Microsoft announced the Technical Preview availability of its next-generation productivity suite, codenamed Office 15.
The software is promised in a public beta flavor sometime in summer (only lucky few will get a taste of it now), and might hit the market later this year, most probably at the same time as Windows 8.
In fact, it appears that Office 15 was built with support for Windows 8, and that it features a load of touch optimizations, such as a radial menu system.
The only thing it is said to lack is the Metro UI, which would have made it a true Windows 8 application.
A recent article on The Verge claims that the upcoming Office app from Microsoft will actually feature more white space, and that it will be f more ocused on content than previous versions were.
Essentially, however, Office 15 compenents will be traditional Windows applications, which should make them remain highly usable on non-touch Windows devices.
A source in the known is cited claiming that Office 15 on ARM will run in a restricted Windows 8 ARM desktop mode that should increase its power efficiency significantly.
Apparently, Microsoft was planning the release of a Metro version of Office, but it had to postpone such plans, as the team behind it was supposed to overhaul the entire suite for that.
There will be Metro style Windows 8 Office applications built using WinRT, namely OneNote and Lync, both of which should make an appearance in the upcoming Windows Store.
We have already been expecting for some sort of Windows 8 integration in the upcoming version of Office, yet it seems that Microsoft is not yet ready to make this step.
However, a Metro version of the entire Office suite might indeed arrive, since Microsoft has made a similar move with Office Mobile on Windows Phone. Until more on this emerges, we should expect additional details on Office 15 to be unveiled in summer, when the beta version of the app arrives.
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