Though Microsoft's new productivity suite will come packed with familiar applications, such as Word, Excel and Powerpoint, it will also integrate cloud services and mobile apps
"At this early point in our development cycle, I'm not able to share too much about Office 15, but I can tell you Office 15 is the most ambitious undertaking yet for the Office Division," Microsoft Office development chief PJ Hough said in a blog post. "
With Office 15, for the first time ever, we will simultaneously update our cloud services, servers, and mobile and PC clients for Office, Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, Project, and Visio."
Customers testing "Office 15" are under the terms of a non-disclosure agreement preventing them discussing the contents or performance of the software suite's early build. Over the coming months the selected participants will be providing feedback to Microsoft before it hits the public beta phase.
Microsoft
Word screenshot apparently from Office 15
How "Office 15’s" applications will differ from previous versions is still shrouded in mystery, but a leaked build last year suggests that Microsoft may adopt the Metro styling currently used on Windows Phones. That has led to speculation that "Office 15" could feature tablet support for the upcoming Windows 8 tablets, which are slated for the second half of 2012.
Microsoft has yet to officially name "Office 15," which it says it plans to release by the end of 2012. The technical preview is already full, but the public beta is set to begin in the summer.
Microsoft Office is the company's best selling software product. According to Microsoft's latest financial report, it has sold 100 million copies of Office 2010 since it launched 18 months ago.
With so many free and reasonably-priced alternatives available, is Microsoft Office still your desktop productivity suite of choice? Let us know in the HEXUS.community forums.
